The Bad Habit
by MorganOfTheFey
Summary: This is the companion fic to The Big Bad Wolf, told from Marie's POV. He was a mean old man when he first picked me up. Not old-old I guess, although he really is ancient. He looks like he's barely pushing thirty five though, and at the time, that was old to me. Nothing to be said about the mean part. He just was. Rogan, NOW RATED M FOR SMUT
1. Kitling

At first, I just stuck with him because I was scared. He had fed me, and he was another mutant, and I needed to cling to something so badly that I just chose him. By the time I realized what a serious choice I'd made, I was already in too deep to get back out.

And I didn't want to.

I'd seen him fighting in the cage at the bar. I only came inside the bar to get out of the cold and ask for a glass of water, but then I'd seen him. He was...

Lordy, I don't want to say he was the most gorgeous thing I'd ever seen, except he was. I cowered in the corner and avoided eye contact, and he took on men twice his size in a cage with no shirt on and a belt buckle bigger'n Texas.

I never really wanted to touch anyone before that. Even Cody had just been a nervous curiosity. But I wanted to touch this man. Not sexually, not like that, not yet. I just wanted to touch him, the way normal people want to touch movie stars, hoping their beauty would rub off on them.

But I knew touching him would be far more dangerous than that, and I still wanted it anyway. It was a selfish desire, wanting a piece of all that confidence and strength for myself.

So I stared at him. At the time, the only thing I could think to compare him to was chocolate cake. It wasn't sexual yet, and that simple sort of longing was all I had to compare my feelings to. I didn't know what it was like to want a man then, so I just sent him desperate little looks like I was starving.

He must have picked up on it because he gave me a burger. As if I was hungry for the stupid food. Why would I need to eat when I could stare at him instead? But he didn't look at me or even slow down, and he disappeared into his truck before I could finish looking at him. I never got tired of looking at him.

It wasn't until he was gone that I realized I really did need to eat something, and he had fed me without asking for anything in return. I wondered if he had mistaken me for one of the dogs that hung around the alley. Guys like him didn't waste their time with little girls like me, and when they did, they _always_ wanted something in return.

Then I overheard him tell the manager he planned to leave after his next fight, and I panicked. I only wanted to look at him a little bit longer, figure out what made him so special. I had hitched rides before anyway, and I tried to tell myself that this wouldn't be any different just because it was him.

He didn't even have to know I was there, I could just hide in the back of his truck. I might be fascinated with him, and he may not have asked for anything for the burger, but I had learned the hard way not to get in trucks with older men who seemed nice. He even had a tarp I could hide under. It was the perfect plan.

Until those damn Canadian rednecks followed him back to his truck. I just knew he had to be a mutant from the way he fought and never seemed to get hurt, and they must have guessed the same. I didn't plan on doing anything but staying hidden at first. He could obviously handle himself, and I wasn't about to put myself in the middle of a drunken brawl.

But when I heard that first gunshot, I forgot all about that plan. He couldn't die, not in a parking lot. It just seemed so wrong that the first person to show me kindness after my parents kicked me out would get himself killed over being a mutie. A mutant like me.

I had never been in a real fight before, the kind that involved fists rather than drunken gropes. I took my gloves off because it was the only way I could think of that someone as small as me could stop a man with a gun. Then I just sorta threw myself at him. His voice screamed into my mind, and I tried to scream back, but I couldn't even breathe.

The next thing I knew, I was in the cab of a truck and the man was driving. I must have been out of it for a while, trying to get the voices back under control, because we were nowhere near Laughlin City. I hoped he hadn't heard me muttering.

"Yah should put yah seatbelt on." I said, just to say something.

And it was true. I didn't save his life just for him to die in a car accident. He scowled at me, and I only managed to keep eye contact because I couldn't stop staring at his face. It was the first time I had ever been so close to him. He turned his gaze back to the road, giving me a great view of his profile. My fingers twitched with the urge to sketch him.

A few miles later, he reached over and put his seatbelt on like it had been his idea all along, still not talking to me. His sudden movement reminded me that I was staring, and that was rude, so I looked out the window instead.

Canada is really boring to look at, especially when there was a large, hairy man sitting next to me with mutton chops that couldn't possibly be true. Thank the good Lord he was wearing a shirt again or I would have spent the entire ride with my jaw in my lap. When Canada got too boring, I stared at the dashboard, my boots, my hands, anything but him.

He shifted gears, and I looked. So much for not being rude, because I couldn't help staring at his hands. I had seen just a flash of metal spiking out through them before I touched that man and passed out. I didn't know what they were, but they had looked wicked and painful.

"Does it hurt?"

He scowled at me again, and I wished for the thousandth time in my life that I could just learn to keep my big mouth shut. But I had already started, so I might as well finish.

"When those things come out. Does it hurt yah?" I asked again.

Claws shot out of his knuckles with an odd sound, and I jumped.

"Every time." He growled.

They slid back in as fast as they'd popped out, and he looked back at the road. Talking time must be over now. Probably shouldn't have even begun. I was dying to know where we were going and why he had taken me with him and if he was going to let me out at the next town. But there wasn't much I could do about any of that, so I might as well shut up and try not to piss him off.

He pulled into a hotel and went inside. I considered getting out of the truck half a dozen times. He hadn't locked it or anything, hadn't even said anything to me. But I didn't know where I was, and it was cold outside, and my head hurt like it had been kicked by a horse.

And I was curious. I was a stupid, curious little girl who didn't know what she was getting herself into. He came back before I could really gather my courage and commit to a decision, stay or go, and he took that decision from me when he yanked the door open and yanked me out.

He practically dragged me into the room after him, but he let go of my arm when he took his shirt off, careful not to spill anything from the bottle he held. I stumbled backwards, and he growled that he wouldn't hurt me, but I had heard that before. I thought about just turning around and taking off, out the door. I doubted I would get far if he chased me though, and it wasn't like I had anywhere else to go.

When he turned around, I gasped at the bloody mess on his wife beater. I thought the redneck missed. The man paused just a half second, and I realized I had said something like that out loud. He didn't reply though, just ordered me to get the pliers he had thrown on the bed and come into the bathroom.

I was nervous, and I didn't know what he wanted me to do. Seeing him sitting there, drinking like the sort of men my mother used to warn me about when she still cared made me flinch. He told me what to do though, and I cleaned the blood off his back.

Then he told me to dig out the pieces of what must have been the bullet with the pliers. Apparently, tweezers are for pussies. I was glad he couldn't see me blush when he said that word.

I had to use the pliers to cut into his back to get to the bullet pieces, but at least I wasn't squeamish. I got the biggest one out alright, but it took a while to get the smaller pieces. I saw one last bigger piece of metal and pulled on it, and everything went to hell.

His back arched like he was in The Exorcism, and his skin touched the bare patch of my skin between my gloves and my sleeve. His voice came roaring into my head, two of them in one night. I tried to pull away, shove him off of me, but we were both frozen with pain.

Finally, he slumped forward and broke the contact. I worried that I had hurt him, the way I always hurt people, there was so much pain in his voice. I hadn't given the redneck with a gun a second thought, but I moved around until I could see this man, to make sure he was okay.

He screamed in my face, but the voice in my head wasn't angry, just hurt. I deserved to be yelled at anyway, and I pulled my hand back away from his face. I was sure the last thing he wanted right now was to be touched by me.

I looked back up at him and realized I was kneeling between his legs on the dirty bathroom floor in a motel. I didn't know much, but I had seen enough movies and stolen memories to have a vague idea of where this could be heading, so I jumped to my feet. He stood up, but I didn't have time to back up any further before he turned and walked out.

His back was completely healed. I was just glad he was okay and not on lifesupport, even if I couldn't quite believe he was really okay.

He told me to take a shower, and I took my sweet time about it. I didn't even really shower, just turned the water on and curled up in the bathtub. My head hurt so badly, and the voices were all screaming in their rooms. His new voice was prowling around in there too.

That was the only word I could think of to describe it: prowling. I tried to make him go in a locked up room the way I had forced the other one to do. I had gotten good enough at it that I could literally do it in my sleep, although that might have something to do with the way a person's subconscious was closer to the surface in a dreaming state. But this voice refused to be locked up, roaring so loudly I whimpered and thrashed my head back and forth.

_Water. Drowning. Breathe, can't breathe!_

I collected myself enough to turn my face out of the spray of the water and the voice calmed down a bit. I thought I could make him be quiet then, but he just started fighting back again. The other voices seemed to sense that I was weakening, and the redneck started shouting and pounding on the door of his room too. His voice was loudest because it was newest, and I hadn't been dealing with him as long.

For one horrifying moment, I thought they would finally take over completely. But then there was another angry roar, and his voice was fighting the voices with me. I couldn't quite understand what he was screaming back at the other voices. Sometimes it was words and sometimes just feelings. I thought I would see him as a man in my mind, Logan, but it seemed totally natural that I was imagining a wolf instead.

_My territory! I am Alpha! SUBMIT!_

When the mental onslaught finally stopped, it was just me and him, in the long corridor of rooms where I stored the voices. I could feel him circling around in my mind, and he really did look like a wolf. I wanted him quiet like the others, and I knew I couldn't afford to give up control, but I also knew he would never agree to be locked up. And he was such a beautiful animal, it almost seemed wrong to do it.

_Hey there...good doggy...?_

I usually refused to talk to the voices in my head just on general principle, and I had no idea how to address a wolf. But if wolves could smirk in amusement, this one did.

_Wolverine. Submit._

_No, this is MAH mind._

_Submit!_

_No, Ah—_

His roar cut me off and made my teeth chatter. I decided to change tactics because I clearly couldn't just overpower him. If I wasn't careful, he could end up overpowering me.

_And then what? Yah really want tah run around as a thirteen year old girl?_

Sulky silence.

_Jus'...calm down. Ah won't try tah put yah in a room if yah help me, Ah promise. An' yah were doing such a good job at it..._

A little bit of flattery never hurt a man...wolf. Man-wolf. Wolverine, I guess.

_Protect ya?_

Wolverine prowled around my mental image of myself, nose raised up high. He looked like he was smelling me, and I tried not to project the nerves that I felt.

_Yes...?_

_Ya fought fer us. Cleaned us. Took care of us._

Each circle that Wolverine made around me brought him closer. It should have scared me even more, but I was too curious about the word "us."

_Me and my human._

I never got used to the voices knowing exactly what I was thinking. That's why I liked the rooms. They were the only way for me to get any sort of privacy. But I was still really curious, so I imagined a quick glimpse of the man version of him. The wolf snuffed like he had just smelled something particularly bad and was personally offended by it.

_Stupid human. Ya got me. I fight fer him._

_Will yah fight for me?_

_No cages!_

I winced. _No cages or rooms, but yah can't jus' keep yellin' at me all the time._

The wolf finally nuzzled his nose against my hand, but before I could pet him, he turned and trotted away. I followed him down to the end of the corridor, where the rooms suddenly ended and it was just the blank space of my mind. I could feel him thinking about trees and snow and open spaces, so I tried hard to imagine what little I had seen of Canada from out the window.

I managed to make something that might pass for a forest and decided this would be Wolverine's space. It wasn't the neat, boxed up room I wanted to keep his voice in, but he had helped me, and I had made a promise. The voices were quiet, and the forest suddenly seemed peaceful, almost beautiful with all the fresh snow drifting down.

_Just call if ya need me, kit._

_Mah name is Rogue!_

I didn't even feel cold. In fact, I felt warm.

_Nah, yah ain't even a kit. Yer jest a kitling. A doe._

_Oh yeah, well yeh jus' a mangy mu—_

And wet. And—

The shower spray sputtered and suddenly turned cold. I bit back a yelp at the sudden temperature change and rushed to turn the water off.

The rest of the night pretty much passed in a blur. I sat in the bathtub in a daze until the man demanded I came out, then I had pizza. Three whole slices! I was still pretty shell shocked from the new voice running wild in my head. But I still knew that nothing ever came for free.

I asked him how I needed to pay. If I played along, I could drop him the second he touched my skin. I already had his voice in my head, and the wolf didn't act like he would quiet down and be tamed the way all the others eventually had. One more touch wouldn't hurt...

...me.

The man told me to shut up—actually, he said it worse than that—and get in the bed. The wolf in my head growled that he wouldn't hurt a little kitling like me, that I wasn't worth his time. And that I would never be able to hurt him anyway, although he seemed almost impressed that I would try. It wasn't exactly reassuring, but he was right. The man laid down in his own bed and never tried to get into mine.

I slept peacefully for the first time in months.

* * *

**A/N: If you haven't read my other story from Logan's POV, The Big Bad Wolf, just know that this story is the companion fic to it. They're basically the same story, but from two different POVs. There will be some "new content" in this story though. A few things that I glossed over in The Big Bad Wolf will be explained in more detail here, like the first time Marie sees Logan have a nightmare.**

**You don't have to read both fics, but of course I encourage you to do so and to review for both of them! The Big Bad Wolf updates every Monday, and I want to update this story at least every Wednesday. Until I get caught up with BBW though, I'll post extra updates on Friday. Once the two stories are caught up, BBW will update on Monday, with this story giving Marie's POV of what just happened on Wednesday.**

**So that's how this is going to work. Let me know if you like this story, if you like hearing from Marie, or if you're confused about something!**


	2. Pack Mates

The next morning, I woke early. The voices were quiet, _all_ of them, and the man was still asleep. I slipped into the bathroom to take a real shower and enjoy the quiet. I even washed his shirt. I must have been in there for at least twenty minutes, but the man was still asleep when I came back out, and I was hungry.

I slipped out the door and walked down to what passed for a "lobby" at this motel. I looked around, but I couldn't see the breakfast food. When I asked the lady at the counter about it, she just laughed in my face. Apparently, this wasn't the type of place that provided a continental breakfast. Just as I was about to sink into the floor and die, she offered to sell me a muffin and a cup of coffee for five bucks.

The muffin looked stale, and even I could tell the coffee was burnt, but I wanted to at least do something for the man. The wolf and I had made a deal, and I had vague notions of trying to do the same with him. I just didn't want to be alone again.

I gave the woman the last of the spare change I had saved up in my pocket and took the muffin and coffee. I was halfway back to the room when I remembered my backpack. I hadn't seen it since last night, which seemed so long ago. I ran over to the truck and looked in the back, there it was. Maybe it had just been hidden beneath the tarp or maybe the people here knew the man who owned the truck and knew better than to steal from him.

Either way, I went back to the room with my backpack, a muffin, and the coffee. The man's head snapped up, and he glared at me the moment I stepped into the room. Maybe I wasn't welcome back. I had brought him food though.

I put them on the nightstand between our beds and sat down on mine. Would this be enough for him to let me stay?

_Shit, kit. Ya feedin' us too? Fuck yeah, ya can stay._

I tried not to show a reaction to Wolverine's sudden growled profanity in my head, but he kept staring at me, so I'm not sure how well I succeeded.

"Ah didn't steal it or nuthin'. Ah had some change saved up."

My Aunt Martha used to say I talked just to hear my head rattle, and that's what talking to the man felt like. Just talking to myself, saying stuff to have something to say.

_He heard ya, kit. We jest don't talk much._

_Then hush! Ah'm tryna start a conversation._

I kept my gaze on my backpack so he couldn't see my eyes. People always seemed to sense when I was talking to the voices, even if they didn't really know what I was doing. They just knew something was off about me, and then they got all nervous and mean.

"Here." I thrust my pill bottle out at him. "It's just Tah-lenol. If yah got a fever, yah need—"

"I'm fine."

It was the first thing he'd said to me this morning, and the near growl should have scared me. But I'd already heard it in my head. If anything, it was just a bit surprising how much he sounded like the wolf.

"But..."

I shouldn't argue. I needed those pills for the headaches, and I couldn't afford to just give them away. But I had survived the headaches without pills before, and a fever might lead to an infection or something else nasty. Didn't people die from that?

A low barking sound echoed in my head. The wolf was laughing at me!

_We ain't gonna die_

_That's stupid. Of course yah'll die someday._

_Ever._

"Yah back—" I cut myself off when I realized I had almost continued our argument out loud. I hoped the man thought I was talking to him.

"S'fine. Saw it last night, didn't ya?" He asked, sitting up.

I drank in as much of his beautiful, achingly bare skin as I could, then remembered I was supposed to be worried about his back, not ogling him like he was the last piece of chocolate cake on earth.

"It's really alrah-ght then?" I asked, trying to find my voice in my suddenly dry throat.

"What I just fucking said."

I guess the profanity wasn't just a wolf thing. I tried not to blush and looked around to find something else to talk about.

"Do yah not like coffee?"

When I looked back over at him, he was stretching, and I nearly fell off the bed. The wolf gave another barking laugh and felt smug. My eyes were so wide at seeing the way his muscles ripple I was surprised they didn't just pop out, walk on over to him, and glue themselves to his skin. He picked up the coffee and sniffed it before he took a drink. I hoped he didn't mind it was burnt.

"Eat."

I jumped a little and forced my eyes up to his face, then shook my head when my brain remembered how to process English again.

"Yah need the food."

And I need you to like me, like me please, please, please.

"Said my back was fine." He growled at me.

No, the wolf had said I could stay if I fed him. The best way to a man's heart was through his stomach, right? Just eat the stupid muffin and like me already.

"Must take energy to heal. Yah need the food."

Hah, logic.

"I ate more'n a pizza an'ahalf last night."

But—

_Too early to be arguin' with him, kit._

"Shut the fuck up and eat the goddamn muffin."

Well when he put it like that...I didn't mean to make him mad...

_He ain't mad, so don't start that cryin' bullshit. Him givin' ya food means he likes ya._

I didn't quite believe the wolf, but I gave the man a small smile just in case as I reached for the muffin. I unwrapped it and popped a piece in my mouth. I was right about it being stale.

"Shouldn't have come back, kid." He muttered after chugging his coffee.

He just grunted at me, swung his legs over the other side of the bed, and stood up with his back to me. It was healed, without even a scar or a scratch. He ignored me as he walked to the bathroom, but I couldn't just leave well enough alone.

"Why didn't yah?" I asked, stopping him with his hand on the knob.

"Didn't what?" He snarled.

Wolverine stayed quiet though, and I remembered his earlier reassurance that the man wasn't really mad at me. He just seemed kind of mad in general. That was okay, maybe he just wasn't a morning person.

"Leave meh." I replied with more confidence than I felt.

"Why'd ya jump that fucktard with a gun?" He shot back.

I didn't expect him to answer with a question, and I really didn't expect that question. It wasn't like I would admit to my near obsessive fascination for him though, so I went for a more general answer.

"'Cause he woulda shot yah."

"Not your problem."

"Was if Ah wanted a ride. An' it wasn't yeh problem that Ah was hungry."

Hah, hah. Double logic. He didn't stick around to explain why he had fed me in the first place though and slammed the bathroom door hard enough to rattle the thin walls. I drew my legs up on the bed and crossed them. If he thought he was getting rid of me with a bit of door slamming, he had another thing coming.

_Yah gettin' too close fer his likin', kit. We don't have a pack._

_A pack? Like...a family? 'Cause Ah don't either. They don't want meh anymore._

_He ain't gonna wantcha either._

Images of older women with long legs and mean eyes filled my mind. They wore slinky outfits that I had only ever seen in movies, and they flaunted their skin with pouty looks and long nails. He didn't show me much more than that, but it was clear that they weren't afraid to touch or be touched.

I clenched my fists around my ankles. I wasn't that type of woman, and even if I wanted to be, I never could. But that seemed to be the only thing those women gave him. Maybe I could fill the in between.

_Yah promised to protect meh 'cause Ah fought for yah, cleaned yah up, took care of yah. Ah even brought him food. Ah could be a good...friend._

_I don't need a friend, kitling. Not a little doe like you._

_He does. Must get awful lonely, jus' yah an' him. Yeh in his head too, ain't yah? Yah know he needs a friend, an' yah need a...a..._

I stumbled in my argument. A what? He was a wolf, and I was a human. A kitling, whatever that meant. Did all wolves really need a pack or did some of them just live alone forever?

_...pack mate._

The bathroom door slammed back open, and the man walked out. His hair was wet and hanging in his face and over his neck and sticking up in a few places too. I'd never seen such an odd haircut before.

"Why the fuck are you still here?" He snapped at me.

"Yah didn't answer mah question." I said, trying to keep my voice as calm as possible.

"Listen kid, if ya think jest 'cause I didn't hurt ya last night I won't do it now, yer in fer a world a'hurt." He snarled.

Except I knew he wouldn't. Even the animal in my head didn't want to hurt me, and he seemed to think the man was the weaker of the two. And we couldn't hurt each other. We were the same, sort of. Both mutants with voices...well, he only had one, but he was the only one I'd ever met who might understand. And now that I knew I really had found someone like me, I wasn't ever going to let go.

Now I just had to make him understand.

"Ah touched yah...last night. Ah didn't mean tah, but when yah jumped, mah wrist touched..."

I could hear my accent getting thicker, but I couldn't stop it. I wasn't doing a very good job of explaining what I meant either.

"The fuck's that got to do with anything?" He demanded.

I bit my lower lip. I had never just volunteered this information before. "Ah can hear him in mah head."

"Who?!"

I wanted to let him know I could hear the voice in his head too, and then just sorta ease him into the idea of there being more voices. I didn't want him to think I was crazy.

"He says his name is Wolverine, but that kinda sounds lahke how Ah say mah name's Rogue."

"...what else has he been saying?"

Wow, that was easy. I thought he would have at least denied it at first or called me a liar or crazy.

"He said yah don't hurt—"

_He can smell yer tellin' the truth._

_Hush, conversation!_

"—kitlings."

I hated it when voices interrupted me while I was speaking. It would be so much simpler if they would just have some common courtesy and wait for a break in the conversation instead of trying to talk when I'm talking.

"That all?" He asked with narrowed eyes.

Keeping in mind that he could apparently smell it if I lied, I shook my head. "He's not very nice. Ah mean, he...he ain't cruel or nothin', an' he makes the other voi—"

I bit my lip to make myself stop talking and looked at the floor. So much for easing him into the idea. Why oh why couldn't I keep my damn mouth shut?

"Other what? Voices?" He asked.

Well, I might as well tell him now.

"He makes 'em be quiet, an' he doesn't say nothin' bad to me like—" I clenched my teeth and forced myself to start again. "So Ah don't mind none if he swears and gets mad at other people."

The man just nodded like he wasn't really listening. I just knew he was wondering how to get rid of me. He frowned and stared at the wall. I was about to jump in and say something, beg even maybe, but then I recognized the look. I'd never seen it on myself, and it was odd to see it on someone else.

He was listening to the wolf in his head.

"I don't need a pack mate!" He shouted.

I jumped a little just because I hadn't expected him to shout, but I was selfishly, desperately happy I was right. Maybe I could even use that to my advantage.

"He says we're part of a pack now." I whispered, not wanting to scare him off.

_Kit, I said no such thing!_

_Yeah huh! Yah said Ah was yeh pack mate._

_No, I jest said the word ya were thinkin' of._

_Shit! Wait, no, Ah'm sorry, Ah meant dammit._

Well, he hadn't called me out on my accidental lie, so maybe I could still make this work. I just had to convince him I was worth the trouble. That I wouldn't even be all that much trouble anyway.

"Ah promise Ah won't touch yah." I said.

"What?"

"Mah skin only...hurts...when Ah'm scared. An' Ah'll keep covered up, an' be real careful. Ah don't eat much neither, an' Ah'll be quiet too."

I looked up at him and prayed. He scowled back and ran his hand over his face.

"This ain't for shits and giggles, kid. Not something you can back out of once it's done."

Yes! If he was warning me, he was considering what I said.

_He's right, kit. Once yer ours, we'll never let ya go._

I shrugged, both in response to him and Wolverine. "Ah'll be yeh pack mate, and yah will be mahne."

_...he'll keep ya fed, and I'll protect ya. But yer ours now, forever._

_Ah knew yah wanted a pack!_

_Forever._

"You don't know what the fuck you're saying, kid."

He still argued, but he wasn't saying no yet either. And I had Wolverine convinced. I was halfway there!

"He says yah will feed me and make sure Ah'm safe. An' Ah can help yah too, if yah get hurt. Ah can clean and cook some, an' Ah'm tougher than Ah look." I said.

He sneered at me when I said that, but his sneer faded when I waved my gloved fingers at him. If he didn't think I was tough, he could go ask that Canadian redneck who was about to shoot him in the face. Oh wait, he couldn't because the redneck was probably in a coma.

_Damn kit, vicious little thing, ain't ya?_

"What's your name, kid?"

Yes! Got him! _An' yeh damn straight, Wolvie._

"Marie."

Gawd, I hoped my smile didn't look as stupid as it felt. I tried to dim it down a bit, but I had a friend! I wasn't alone anymore! I didn't even care that he was old and mean looking, in a beautiful way. He was mine.

"Logan."

Mine.

* * *

**A/N: So this is the second chapter from The Big Bad Wolf, told from Marie's POV. I'll post the third chapter next Wednesday, and BBW will still update next Monday with chapter eight.**

**I hope this fic is doing a good job of explaining why Marie is so okay with this set up. Logan is pretty much stuck with her (to put it extremely un-romantically) because of the mating thing, but Marie doesn't have any reason to stick around at all, except for her own personal ones.**

**Next chapter has new content about Marie seeing Logan have a nightmare for the first time and Logan buying Marie tampons!**


	3. Nightmares and Tampons

He was a mean old man when he first picked me up. Not old-old I guess, although he really is ancient. He looks like he's barely pushing thirty five though, and at the time, that was old to me. Nothing to be said about the mean part. He just was.

And I was okay with that. He was mean like he swore and drank and fought. He didn't like to talk, so for the most part, we just didn't. And when we did, he communicated through a combination of glares, grunts, and growls.

But that didn't mean he treated me bad. I was a little girl hitching rides by the side of the road in late fall. There was so much worse that could have happened to me than ending up with him. And I had the wolf in my head to keep me company and tell me what he really meant.

It was Wolverine who made me trust Logan, not the other way around. Everyone else was afraid of the infamous Wolverine, except me. Even Logan thought he was nothing but an animal to be caged in his mind, which is probably why they always fought.

But it felt so good to finally have a voice in my head that actually cared about me. In a possessive, borderline controlling sort of way maybe, but the advantage of Wolverine knowing most of my thoughts was that I knew most of his. We didn't have much privacy with our minds tangled together, even though we never talked about certain things and tried to keep them buried. Mine was my parents. His was Logan.

He'd answer any question I had about packs, himself, or what he thought of something. He'd even give gruff reassurances that Logan would never hurt me. But he wouldn't talk about Logan's past, their lack of any friends or family, or anything at all about the man really, except to sneer derisive comments about him being human and weak.

Aside from him constantly being a jerk about Logan, women, and human beings in general, talking to him really wasn't all that bad. Logan certainly didn't want to talk to me, which I didn't mind since I was still trying to get used to Wolverine being in my head. Logan might be a man of few words, but Wolverine wanted to give me his opinion on freaking everything and expected me to just nod along all quiet and docile.

Like hell.

We fought a lot, and there was a lot of swearing (which was mostly him), silent treatments, and screaming matches that only I could hear. But we were stuck with each other which was kind of a good thing, because it forced us to work it out.

Logan didn't know about any of this. He drove the truck, and I stared out the window in silence. He ordered the food at greasy diners, and we ate it. In silence. He watched hockey, and I doodled in my sketchbook.

No silence there—just drinking and screaming. Which scared the bejesus out of me the first time he shouted for the allegedly homosexual players to stop playing with their genitals and violently copulate with the insides of the other team's craniums instead.

To put it nicely.

And that was just the first five minutes. I learned more about sex, anatomy, and diagnosing concussions listening to Logan watch those games than I did in my first and only year of high school. I also learned a great deal about all of their mothers, especially the referees'.

I wouldn't say Logan scared me, even though he was the epitome of what my Mama said a man could go to Hell for. He did worry me though, when he disappeared at night and came back bloody, smelling like booze and cigars. But our deal was that we would be a pack. The only family mutants like us would ever get. And for all his faults, Logan held up his end of the deal and always made sure I was warm, fed, and safe. So I held up mine and cleaned him up the best I knew how.

And even though he still avoided talking to me, I knew he appreciated it. He was the only person to ever know about my skin and lean into my touch anyway. So it didn't matter if he never felt like talking. I just wanted to touch someone again, and I'd never met someone so strong.

Not just physically, although anyone with eyes could see that. I filled my notebook with sketches of him, his muscles, his eyes, and I wondered what he looked like when he smiled. He always seemed to have something brooding behind his eyes, and yet nothing ever scared him. And I tiptoed through life scared of people, of myself, of the dark.

I never slept well, even when I still had a home. I always had to have a nightlight, it took too long for my brain to quiet down enough to fall asleep, and even the slightest noise would wake me up. And that was before the voices. Then there was Logan's snoring, which sounded like a dragon roaring into a megaphone.

The first time I heard Logan having a nightmare, I knew something was wrong because it was quiet. For once, silence woke me up instead of noise. It was so quiet; I thought Logan had left, just run out on me in the middle of the night. What Logan did with women was one of those things Wolvie wouldn't talk about, but from what little I had pieced together, it sounded like something he'd do.

Then I heard a high, keening whine.

_Go back to sleep, kit._

_But I think Lo—_

_Leave 'im. Just go ba—_

But I heard make the noise again, almost a whimper, and I was out of my bed before Wolvie could finish. The wolf stopped trying to use words and just growled at me in warning instead, and I probably should have listened to him. My hand already touched Logan's shoulder though, and then I was shoved up against the headboard and it was Logan's snarl filling the room.

_Don't move, kit._

Eyes that I had shaded as hazel in my notebook were now golden and looking through me.

"Logan?"

_That's me lookin' at ya, not Logan._

A hand gripped my shoulder with its claws embedded in the headboard behind me. The other set of claws were buried in the mattress next to my legs as he hovered over me, still not seeing me.

"Wolverine?"

The golden eyes snapped onto mine, and it was strange to see the wolf in the man's body.

_Be a good little kitling an' lower yer head. Ya don't look an Alpha in the eyes._

It was even weirder to hear him in my head and see him in front of me. I had never stuck around anyone I touched, and it suddenly seemed like I could read his mind. I wanted to just talk to him, but this Wolverine didn't know me like the one in my head did, so I ducked my head and hoped the wolf in Logan's mind would like me too.

Or at least not kill me.

_Ain't gonna kill ya, kit. Yer my pack mate, but ya gotta act the part, so jest hold still fer a second while I scent ya._

The wolf in Logan's body leaned forward, and I felt his nose brush against my hair. The oversized shirt I wore to bed kept his hand from actually touching my shoulder, but if he nuzzled against my neck the way the wolf in my head said he would, I might hurt him.

Did Logan's Wolverine know not to touch my skin? I didn't know if I was scared enough for my skin to be dangerous right now. My Wolvie was trying to keep me calm, and it had been working until I actually started thinking about it. Now I couldn't stop thinking about it.

He inhaled through his nose again, but just before he touched my neck, he froze. I realized I had flinched away from him and shoved myself as far back up against the headboard as I could. I just didn't want to hurt him again.

"Kid?" He growled.

Logan was the one who called me kid. Was this him?

_Say his name, but keep ya voice soft an' don't look up._

"Logan?"

He shoved away from me. I dared to raise my head just enough to look at him. He sat on the other end of the bed, his back to me. It looked like he had his head in his hands. I took several deep breaths until I knew I was calm.

_Watcha doin' kit?_

_Ah just wanna help._

_I ain't there anymore, jest Logan, an' I don't know what the fuck he wants. Hell, Logan doesn't know what Logan wants. Better t'jest leave 'im alone._

_No, Ah made a deal with him too!_

I reached out and touched his shoulder, more gently this time. His entire back tensed, but he didn't pull away, and I didn't get any more of his voice in my head than I already had.

"Are yah alrahght?"

He whipped around and somehow managed to look incredulous and pissed at the same time. I wanted to sketch the look on his face just to prove it existed.

"I...shit, yeah kid. I'm just fucking fine." He snapped.

"Yah—"

"Just go back to bed."

He got up and stalked into the bathroom before I could say anything else. I flopped down sideways on the bed, lying across his pillow. It wasn't a comfortable position, but at least it would keep me awake until he came back out. We weren't through talking.

_Jest fuckin' drop it, kit._

_Yeh so mean, Wolvie. Don't yah want Logan to be happy?_

I yawned and stretched out, pulling a corner of the tangled sheets over my legs.

_That dickwad wouldn't know happiness if it tried to pull out a piece of his spine._

I giggled sleepily into the mattress.

_That was an accident._

_Sure, kit._

I could hear water running. He must be taking a shower. Was it late night or early morning? I pulled his pillow out from underneath me so I could use it. Wolvie started purring in my mind. He knew that calmed me down, and I decided I'd only rest a minute.

The sound of a door closing woke me up, but I wasn't actually coherent until I heard the second one open. Logan must have finished showering and came out of the bathroom because he was walking out the door.

"Where yah goin'?" I mumbled.

He only glanced back for a second. "Out."

I winced when he slammed the second door too. He slammed more doors than me, and I was the teenage girl. I lied back down and snickered at the thought of telling him exactly what a melodramatic jerk he was being. Wolvie grinned and started purring again.

Maybe in the morning.

Actually, in the morning, I woke up and it looked like I had murdered a squirrel in my pants. All over his bed. Good thing it was just a motel bed and neither of us had to clean that up. But I still considered smothering myself with his pillow out of embarrassment when he walked in and smelled the blood.

I could tell he was seconds away from freaking out, so I just blurted out that I needed feminine things, and then he really did look like he was freaking out.

"They got that shit at the gas station?" He asked.

"Next tah the Tahlenol." I mumbled.

"Where the fuck is that?"

"Bah the um...the con...doms."

I should have just let you kill me last night. It would have been less painful.

_Jest condoms, ya little kitling._

Logan just gave me the same blank look. Surely _he _would know where condoms were? Did I need to explain to him that too? Was he having safe sex? Did he even have sex? Is that why Wolvie was so secretive about it? What if he liked _men_?!

...that would be so hot.

_The fuck?!_

No, you're right. If he liked men, he'd definitely use condoms.

_Not what I was askin', kit._

"Kid!"

I blinked and realized Logan had been trying to talk to me too. I was so used to only talking to Wolverine that it almost seemed strange to be talking to Logan now. But that could just be the content of our current conversation.

"Ah'm sorry, what were yah saying?" I asked.

I must have put too much emphasis on "you" though, because Logan caught on that I had been talking to someone else in my head.

"He been talkin' shit?" Logan demanded.

_Hey, I ain't the one ya needta worry about, bub. This little kitling here's been thinking 'bou—_

_Don't be a snitch!_

I was worried until I remembered that the wolf in my head and the wolf in Logan's head were actually different. Well, the same, but not I guess. At least they couldn't communicate between each other, or else I'd be in a heap of trouble.

"Jus' making fun of me for not wanting to say condoms." I said, managing to say the last word with only minimal blushing.

_Ya lyin' littl—_

"They should be near the front, an' there'll be all kinds of pill bottles an' stuff around them." I continued.

_Nuh uh. What Ah said was true._

_Ya needta stop this damn hairsplittin' 'fore ya get in trouble, kitling._

Logan glared at me for a moment more, then grunted and walked out. I looked over at the mess that used to be his bed. Logan didn't allow housekeeping in our room while we were still staying somewhere, so I guessed that would be my bed for the next few days. I wondered if he would make an exception for just this one time, but from what little Wolvie had explained, Logan was always that paranoid and it wasn't going to change.

I might be able to wash out the worst of the stains in the bathtub though, so I worked on that until Logan came back. I had left the bathroom door open so he could see me. Staying where he told me to when he left and keeping in his sight when he came back was a really big thing. A part of me knew that wasn't normal, but the larger majority of me reveled in someone caring where I was and that I was okay.

Most of the stains had come out, and I finished hanging the sheet up over the shower curtain when Logan walked in. He just tossed me two boxes and walked back out, slamming the door behind him. Maybe he just didn't know doors closed any other way.

That night, I couldn't sleep just from the simple fact that I was bleeding in an uncomfortable place. And Logan had another nightmare. It started out the same as the first, with complete silence followed by just barely audible whimpers.

Before Wolverine could lecture or warn me again, I got out of my bed and shook Logan's shoulder. He hadn't killed me last time, and his Wolverine had scented me, so he would know me now. My Wolverine was roaring at me that I was going to get myself killed, but I was right. Logan's wolf grabbed me again, but didn't pop out his claws.

He actually pulled me against him and nuzzled into my neck the way he almost did the night before. I wasn't scared this time, maybe just a little nervous. But it wasn't enough to turn on my skin, so I took deep breaths and kept my head down until Logan came back.

Logan tried to shove me away again, but he was still shaking. I thought nothing ever scared him, and seeing him scared only made me want to be near him more. He was afraid and alone the way I had been so many nights, and yet he had taken care of me, given me food and safety. If he could protect me like that, then maybe I could protect him like this.

I clung tighter to his shoulders and when he growled in my ear, I nuzzled against his neck the way his Wolverine had done to me. My Wolvie was silent, and I didn't know if what I was doing was okay, but it must have been alright because Logan only resisted for a few more seconds before he caved.

He let me hold him a minute or two, then lay back down. He pushed me away more gently, but I still refused to go back to my bed. I knew sleeping with a man was a bad idea, but I also knew Logan would never hurt me. And I was more certain of the latter than I was the former.

I expected him to try to shove me away again when I lay down next to him, not quite in his arms but not quite on the other side of the bed. I was gross and bleeding and had toxic skin that could turn on in the middle of the night if I had a nightmare. But he stared at me with slightly golden eyes until I half buried my face in the corner of his pillow and closed my eyes.

If I wasn't so tired from not being able to sleep and being on my period, I probably would have obsessed over the fact that I, the untouchable awkward girl, was sleeping next to the most gorgeous man I had ever seen. Instead, I fell asleep listening to Wolverine's purrs.

The Wolverine in my head or his, I didn't really know.

* * *

**A/N: First off, I found a beta, and he's Canadian! I told him to talk Canadian to me, and he said oot and aboot and aroond the hoose and then apologized, it was great.**

**Also, I know I made some promises to reviewers that this chapter was the shower scene chapter, and it's obviously not. My bad, that's next chapter, on Friday. So sorry for getting them switched up in my head like that.**

**I've also noticed a few bombtastic people who have reviewed to both this story and BBW, so thanks, thank you, I love you, you have no idea how much this means to me, I'd like to thank my lack of social life...you guys are great!**


	4. Something to Prove

Logan wasn't afraid of me, and Wolverine made it very clear he didn't want me. At least, not in the way they usually wanted women. He called me kitling and treated me like a little sister, and I was more than okay with that. I'd always wanted a sibling, but after they had me, my parents started sleeping in separate beds.

And even though Wolvie watched over me like an older brother, he couldn't protect me from...well, I don't mean to be crude, but the best word to describe it was a word I heard Logan shout at the TV during a hockey game when a fist fight broke out and one of the players scored in his own goal in the confusion.

Clusterfuck.

My mind was a clusterfuck of voices, and even with Wolvie acting as my guard-wolf, some of the voices still broke through. They hated being trapped in my mind almost as much as I hated having them, and that was a lot of hatred. Usually it just stewed in the back of my mind until I had a headache, but sometimes their voices leaked into my thoughts.

They told me I was unloved—incapable of being loved. That no one would ever want me, that I was a freak, that Logan would leave me. The worst was when they said I would never have a true love. Wolvie could argue against all the rest, but how could he say I would find someone who loved me, the way a man loves a woman, when I couldn't even kiss someone without putting them in the hospital?

Logan was the only one who wasn't afraid of me. But I knew that even if he might be brave enough to risk it, he only thought of me as his little sister. And anyway, he was grown up and beautiful and experienced and would never want a scrawny little kid like me.

I believed that. I really, truly believed he saw me as a sister. How could he ever want me? So I acted like it and did a lot of things that, in hindsight, were really stupid.

Like sleeping in his bed. Changing in front of him. Taking showers with him.

It just didn't occur to me that any man like him would be attracted to me. The voices made sure to tell me how disgusting and worthless I was at every turn, and that was one subject where we agreed. Wolverine didn't exactly help with his assurances that Logan would never touch me, hurt me, like that. I know he was just trying to make me feel better and maybe even protect me, but it really didn't help.

Plus, I really wanted a nice, hot shower, and Logan was taking forever in there. I had showered with female friends before and even taken baths with Cody back when we were really little. So I tried to convince myself that it was okay and I wasn't just being stupid and rebellious and maybe just a little bit insane, and I came up with some weak excuse about his hair being crazy. Although, to be fair, it really was.

I'd never managed to sneak up on Logan before, but he obviously didn't notice me while I undressed in front of the shower. I was worried, almost to the point of being scared. And maybe if the voices had been quiet, I would have lost my nerve and went to bed early like a good little girl. But instead they whispered that my skin would turn on, that no one would ever want to touch me, that he would send me away.

And he did.

Maybe if he hadn't kicked me out that first time, if he had just let me stay and realize exactly how stupid I was being, I wouldn't have tried again. I didn't even know what exactly I was trying to prove, but at the time, it felt like something really important.

"Marie, ya can't be in here." He growled.

_Not a good idea, kit. Ya just tryinta start shit?_

"Ah wanna help." I said, answering both voices.

"I know how to wash my own damn hair, kid."

_Jest go to bed, kitling._

I swallowed hard and resisted the urge to throw a downright hissy fit. All I wanted was a shower...with Logan in it. But he pulled the curtain back instead, clearly wanting me to get out. I glared at the shower wall harder. Of course he wanted me to leave, with all my toxic skin exposed.

_That ain't the problem, and ya know it._

"Ah promise Ah won't hurtcha." I mumbled.

"Ain't worried about that, kid." He growled, sounding so much like Wolverine it took me a second to figure out who was talking.

"Look at me."

I bit back a sigh and raised my eyes to his chest.

"Marie."

I immediately looked up into his eyes at that. I didn't know voices were capable of going that deep and low. I'd never heard my name said like that before, and even though I knew I was in trouble, I kind of liked it.

"I ain't ever worried about that. And even if something does happen, I'll heal and it won't change nothing between us." He said.

It was hard to keep scowling when he said almost exactly what I needed to hear. But if he wasn't afraid, then why couldn't I just stay?

"Then let me."

"Ki—"

"Logan." I knew it was a bad idea to interrupt him; I just didn't want him to kick me out again. "Ah wanna do something for yah."

He finally turned around with an angry huff, and I smirked safely at his back, where he couldn't see it.

_What the hell kinda game ya playin' at, kit? Jest 'cause yer only a kitling doesn't mean ya ain't female, an' ya can't just prance around naked in front of him like this._

I reached out and ran my hands up his neck and into his hair, partly just to piss Wolvie off.

Yeah, well, even if he does...like what he sees...or whatever, you said yourself he's not going to do anything.

No one ever would.

I couldn't actually reach as far up as I wanted to, and I let out an angry huff of my own. Logan did so much to take care of me, and I just wanted to do one simple thing in return.

_Bullshit, kit. Yer doin' this fer yerself, and ya know it._

"Ah can't reach. Sit."

_The __**fuck**__, kit?! Ya know damn better than to tell him to sit!_

He sat. I ignored Wolverine's snarls and tried to push down my inner gloating. I didn't know if Logan could smell something as vague as "triumph," but I didn't want to find out either. I could reach now though, so I started at the top of his head and massaged his scalp, hoping to prove that this was worthwhile. He kept his arms drawn around his knees and rested his head on one forearm, letting me do what I wanted.

I grabbed the generic bottle of hotel shampoo and squeezed a bit into one hand. Logan didn't move or try to kick me out again, and I went back to rubbing his head, working in the shampoo. He let me turn his head when I needed to and everything was actually going far better than I expected.

Done with shampooing, I stepped to the side a bit to let him get some of the hot water too and rinse out the shampoo. I combed my fingers through his hair, helping along the process, and he started making an honest to God purring noise! I accidentally let out a giggle at the sound.

"Ah didn't know yah could purr, Logan." I said, tugging lightly at his hair.

"Don't tell anyone or you'll ruin my rep." He grumbled.

I tugged at his hair again, and he purred even louder. I full out laughed at that, but he didn't seem to mind. Even Wolvie was surprisingly quiet.

"Wait rah-ght here, sugah." I said, still giggling.

I stepped out of the tub, tracking water all across the bathroom floor to the sink. I knew there was a first aid kit in the mirror above it, and I was pretty sure it had a pair of scissors in it. Luckily for me and my quest to tame Logan's hair, it did. I walked back over to the tub with the prized scissors in hand and got back in. Logan hadn't moved from when I got out.

I looked at the mess of his hair and considered how best to attack it. It would have to be trimmed down some, and I pulled a strand straight to see how long it was and how much needed to go. He growled the instant I made the first snip.

"Marie." He whined, trying to turn his head.

"Don't be a baby, Logan. Yah look like a caveman." I said.

He whined again, but I ignored it and pulled more of his hair back to measure it against what I had just cut. I wouldn't be taking off that much and it would look so much better when I was done.

"Ah'm just gonna trim it down so it don't stick up so much." I murmured, dropping my hand to rub his shoulder.

I thought I could hear him make a very faint purring sound again, so I immediately chopped off another chunk. He gave up after that and let me cut his hair the way I wanted. When I was finished, I was startled to realize that I had been humming. I stopped and announced I was done, stepping out of the tub to put the scissors away. I heard Logan get up behind me and pull the shower curtain shut.

Did he really think he would be getting off that easily?

_Dammit, kit..._

But even Wolverine sounded resigned, so I just kept ignoring him and hopped back in. Logan nearly slipped and fell; he was so surprised to see me.

"Dammit kid, ain't it time fer ya to be in bed?" He snarled.

"Ah gotta shower too. Scootch."

I shooed him away from the barely warm water, and he crossed his arms and tried to glare at me. He looked and sounded exactly like Wolvie, so I knew he wasn't going to do anything about it though.

_Yeah, but just look at watcha doin' to him._

I kept my eyes on his face. Even I knew that looking _down there_ would be a bad decision, almost definitely one that would get me thrown out for sure. I could see little glimpses of...it...out of my peripheral vision though because it wasn't exactly small. Even without ever seeing the full picture, I was shocked that they came in that size.

It was nothing like the pictures in the science book the other freshmen used to giggle about.

The next time I jumped in the shower with him, he seemed almost even angrier than the first time, but he'd already let me get away with it once so we both knew he wasn't really going to throw me out again. And we really did just shower. Nothing else ever happened, and it started seeming normal fast. Sure, he tried to act tough like each time really would be _the last time_, but that was bull and we both knew it.

And yes, even though he never touched me, he did have a...reaction...to seeing me naked. But I figured that was just what happened when a guy saw a girl naked and maybe if I didn't have toxic skin...well, I wasn't obese or actually repulsive or anything. So maybe that was just a bodily reaction, because he never said or did anything about it, and I knew better than to ever bring it up.

Ugh. Word choice.

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**A/N: So this chapter is a little short, but I thought that was a perfect ending point. Also, I know I usually have this up earlier in the morning, but I was on call for work all last night, and I had an 8:00am meeting.**

**Please keep reviewing, I love you all, I'm off to save the wizard...the wonderful wizard of Oz...*slowly goes insane***


	5. Fourteen

I kept up the spoiled little sister act, and Logan kept ignoring me. It wasn't all that bad though. I can talk my head off once I get going, but otherwise I like quiet. I never had a lot of friends at school, really only one or two girls I was even semi close to. My parents weren't about overt shows of affection. I guess the best way to describe them would be reserved. So I was pretty much used to entertaining myself anyway.

And it wasn't like he neglected me or anything. I knew what it was like to be forgotten and miss a meal, but he always made sure I had enough food and a place to sleep. Sure, sometimes it was curled up in the backseat while he drove all night and usually it was in a somewhat shady hotel, but I was warm, fed, and safe.

So I didn't mind if staring out the window got a little boring sometimes, and I kept my mouth shut about where he went at night. That doesn't mean I didn't wonder though. Wolvie hated talking about Logan, and Logan just didn't talk, but I eventually managed to weasel out that what he did was called cage fighting.

I guess I would have known more about it if I had paid more attention to something other than him the first night I saw him. I know that's what he was doing then, since it was pretty self explanatory. But I was so focused on him that I barely noticed where we both were or the other fighters or how the matches were set up.

But I was curious, always had been, from the moment I first saw him in a cage, dripping with sweat and other people's blood. I wanted to know why he fought, how he learned to do it, what it was like to be strong.

That pissed Wolvie off though. He refused to talk about the why and how, and he seemed to think that I shouldn't have anything to do with the fighting at all. I knew if Wolvie felt that way, then Logan probably felt the same, and I wasn't about to look a gift wolf in the mouth. It might bite.

So I kept my mouth shut.

I had my sketchbook, motel televisions, and my own company—along with six other voices in my head. Mostly, I spent my mornings sketching, while Logan slept and didn't know I was drawing him. I always made sure to have coffee and some food ready for him when he woke up since he was such a grumpy morning person.

Once he woke up and had his morning snack, he'd take me out and make sure I got some food. And he'd eat again with me then too. He ate more food than I could imagine one man eating. I usually just picked what I wanted off his plate, but Wolverine insisted they didn't share, so I made sure he always saw me reach for the food and was okay with it.

I guess he shared with me because I was his pack-mate, and it made me feel kind of special.

We'd drive all afternoon and sometimes into the evening if we were moving on from a town. We never really stayed in one place for long, but I had set out wanting a road trip anyway. He'd drop me off at a motel in the evening, staying just long enough to check everything out and make sure I was safe and alright before he left.

He didn't get back until late at night, early morning sometimes, with blood stains on his clothes, smelling like booze, and bits of glass or even bullets embedded in his skin. I worried about him, but after pulling the fifth bullet out of him, I just had to accept that he was invincible. Or close enough, at least.

I didn't think he would listen to me if I tried to ask him to stop, and it wasn't my business to tell him how to live his life anyway. So I just did what I could, cleaning him up and waking him from his nightmares.

And he got a bit better about it. He stopped going out every night and stayed in the motels watching hockey while I drew instead. A couple of times he picked up an odd job as a mechanic or handyman, but he still left me at the motels while he worked those too. Which I guess was okay because I didn't especially want to sit around an auto body shop all day anyway.

It turned out to be a nice kind of routine, and I had just gotten used to it when he changed it. I was just gazing out the window, minding my own business and close to dozing off when he spoke to me with actual people words instead of grunts and growls for the first time in three days.

"How old are ya, kid?"

I blinked and clenched my jaw against a yawn. The dashboard clock said it was eight despite it being dark outside, and it took me a moment to remember that it was always wrong.

"Is it past midnight?" I asked.

"Fuck does that have to do with it?" He growled.

I heard Wolvie swear too much to be surprised when Logan did it anymore, so I just answered his question.

"If it is, Ah'm fourteen." I replied.

He let out another growl, then finally snarled, "Go to sleep."

_What's wrong with him?_

_Maybe someone shoved a cue stick up his ass at the last bar._

I was too tired to appreciate the full extent of Wolvie's wit or get too upset about Logan being well...pissy. That was kind of just how Logan seemed to get sometimes, and Wolvie agreed that he needed to relax a bit, which I thought was ironic, coming from Wolverine.

In the end, I just curled up deeper in his jacket and went to sleep. He'd still be grumpy in the morning, but he always got over it. And the next time I woke up, I was in his arms as he carried me into the room. He laid me down on the bed, then tried to leave, but I was having none of it. The room was cold, and I had gotten used to sleeping next to him. It only took one half mumbled please to get him to cave, because I always got my way.

Like I said, he spoiled me in his own special way.

I was someplace warm wrapped around in something even warmer. And it breathed. I almost panicked, but then I heard him growl, and I had to fight the urge to giggle instead. Only Logan growled like that, and only I would be crazy enough to be reassured by it.

But as much as I liked just being held—I couldn't even remember the last time someone hugged me—I knew I had to move. Logan flopped around too much in his sleep for us to snuggle, and I had a bad habit of kicking. And that wasn't even going into the danger of my skin turning on if I had one of my own nightmares.

So it was better if we just slept on opposite sides of the bed. I tried to pull away, but he locked his arms around me and growled deeper.

"Logan."

No verbal response, but I was pretty sure he was smelling me. Maybe it was his Wolverine instead?

_Maybe. Bastard keeps a damn short leash on me though._

"Ah gotta get up." I tried again.

All I got back was a snarl that might have been the word no. He still refused to let go, and my arm was falling asleep. I wiggled again, but he grabbed a hip and held me down. I probably should have worried about that, but instead my biggest concern was that I might have hurt him with all my thrashing. Wolvie thought that was ridiculous, but he hadn't felt how sharp my hip bones were.

He propped himself up on one arm, and then I knew it was Logan because his eyes were still hazel. Mostly. He was always so grumpy in the morning, but he was grumpy like an angry teddy bear. I knew he didn't mean it, and he was too cute for me to take him seriously.

"Mornin' sugah." I said.

He blinked and the gold faded from his eyes.

"Sugar?"

"Yah, sugah. 'Cuz yeh so sweet when yah wake up."

I managed to keep a straight face for a few seconds, but then I broke down giggling. The look on Logan's face was so priceless, I could draw it and sell it to a museum. His grip on me had loosened, and I really had to pee now.

"Grumpy!" I laughed, rolling out of his grip and dashing into the bathroom before his shock wore off.

I hummed happily throughout my shower, until after I dressed again and looked in the mirror. Even when wet, my hair twisted about in its usual morning mess and despite how well I'd eaten over the past month, I could still see my collar bones sticking out a bit more than they should above the hem of my shirt.

And I was fourteen.

I'd been so excited for this birthday. We didn't usually do much for my birthdays other than a nice dinner and a few presents, but I'd started planning early this year. I saved up some money and did all my chores and begged and pleaded to go to Alaska because it was the furthest place from Mississippi I could imagine.

I just wanted some adventure before I married a nice Christian boy and had kids and spent the rest of my life as a stay at home mom. And now I was fourteen and on the road with no family an—

_Stop yer fuckin' pity party. Yer in our pack now and we ain't—_

There was a crash from the bedroom, and I jumped. Was Logan in trouble? Something couldn't happen to Logan or I really would be all alone! I threw open the bathroom door and ran out to see Logan standing in the middle of the room with blood dripping from his hand.

"Logan!"

Were his claws out, was he hurt, was there someone else in the room, what had—

"What?!" He snapped, breaking me out of my panicked thoughts.

"Are yah okay? Ah thought..." I trailed off when I noticed the broken mirror and finally put two and two together. "Ah'll get the pliers."

I got my backpack from beside the door and took out the pliers I kept in there for this sort of situation. They were pretty big though, and I didn't think they'd be able to get out the smaller slivers, so I pocketed my Swiss Army knife too. I looked up to see Logan trying to pick out the pieces of glass by himself.

"I got it, kid." He muttered.

"Nuh uh, if yah leave it like that, they'll get stuck in there an' hurt forevah. Now sit." I said, pointing at the bed.

_Don't get sassy, kit._

_Ah'm always sa-_

Logan snarled at me. He'd growled and made snarling noises before, but this was the first time I felt he really meant it. I slowly lowered my hand back to my side.

"Please, Logan." I amended.

_More like it, kit._

I mentally rolled my eyes at Wolverine. Men and their macho pride. I was just trying to help, but it looked like I would have to go along with their alpha male crap. It worked though, and Logan sat on the edge of the bed, still cradling his hand.

I moved in front of him and took his injured hand in my free one. There were a couple of bigger pieces that came out easily like the chunks of broken bottle glass I usually dug out. The mirror had shattered into much smaller pieces though, and just as I thought, there were several tiny slivers inside his hand.

I must have accidentally brushed against one or dug in with the pliers too hard because Logan started grinding his teeth. I rubbed his wrist and tried to give him a soothing smile. His hand had already healed over most of the shards though, and the only way I could think to get them back out was to slice him back open again.

"Yah hand already healed, so Ah'm gonna hafta cut it back open to get the rest." I said, unable to keep from wincing a bit.

_He's had worse than this, kitling, I guran-fucking-tee ya._

"Just get it done." He muttered.

I set aside the pliers and pulled out my pocket knife. I didn't know if Logan would object to me having it, but he didn't say anything, even when I snapped the blade open.

"Yah gotta hold yah hand still, but tell me when it hurts." I told him.

He gave me a stiff nod and kept it steady for me while I rubbed his hand, searching for the remaining pieces of glass. He snarled silently when I found one, and I made a small cut with the pocket knife. The glass was buried between skin and muscle, and I was glad I wasn't squeamish as I used the pliers to pull it out.

I got out all of the pieces that I possibly could using the pliers, but eventually I had to use my fingers to pick out the slivers that were too small. There weren't too many though, and soon I'd gotten nearly all of those out too.

I found what I thought was the last piece in between his knuckles, and I cut through the skin with my knife. A flash of light reflecting off a bit of metal was my only warning before Logan's claws snapped out. Even as they did, his other hand pushed me away, just before they could cut me. It was close enough that I felt them brush against my wrist though.

"Kid?"

I looked up at Logan and almost gasped aloud. He looked right at me, but I got the sense he couldn't quite see me. His face was twisted in what I could only call fear and he was panting out his mouth. Had I hurt him? God, I didn't think I could stand it if he was afraid of me.

"Logan?"

* * *

**A/N: So we're getting closer and closer to being caught up with the Logan story, YAY! I'm sorry the timelines are kind of screwy right now, with BBW being so far ahead, I know it's hard to remember back to the earlier chapters Marie's narrating. So just a general thank you for sticking with this and putting up with my craziness!**


	6. Let Me Stay

"Logan?"

I dared to reach out and grip his head in my hands, trying to tug his face up so he would look at me. He grabbed me and pulled me awkwardly onto the bed with him, only one knee actually on the bed, my other leg still standing. He pressed his face into my wet hair and smelled me again.

_This is good rahght, please tell meh this is good, Wolvie..._

_He ain't afraid of ya, kitling._

I ran my fingers through his hair while he inhaled against the side of my neck. I didn't really believe Wolverine, but either way, Logan was obviously freaking out. But if he wasn't scared of me, I couldn't see why else he was scared. He'd shoved me out of the way and made sure I hadn't even gotten hurt.

_Do ya even have any fuckin' idea how close ya came to being hurt?!_

"It's alrah-ght Logan. Ah was just startled, that's all." I soothed, trying to get him to calm down. "Ah guess they ain't sharp at the top, 'cuz it didn't cut m—"

He cut me off when he pulled back and grabbed my bloody hands by my wrists. He only gripped them where my sleeves covered my skin, another reminder of what I was. I almost jumped when he yanked my hands up to his face, dangerously close to brushing against his nose as he smelled those too.

"You have to leave."

No. No no no no. _Wolvie whah is he doing this, yah said he wasn't afraid, yah said we were a pack, Ah can't—_

"Logan, wha—"

He pushed me away from him. "I'll give ya some money and—"

"No!"

This time I shouted the word aloud as I reached for him, trying to pull him back to me, this couldn't be happening, not again.

"I ain't good fer ya, kid. I—"

No no no no NO! Not good for me, who did he think he was to decide that?! Who was he to act like he didn't deserve me when he didn't even know a damn thing about me?!

_Kitling, he's jest trynta protect ya._

"No, fuck yah, Logan!"

_An' yah too, Wolvie! Yah really think this is the worst that's evah happened tah meh?!_

"Yah broke a mirror, not mah arm! Yah said, yah told me this was for keeps—"

_Yah promised, we're a pack, a family, Ah can't be alone again, Ah can't—_

"So yah hafta keep me now!" I shouted.

"Don't ya swear at me, kid. I never promised ya nothin' an' next time it might be!" He growled, eyes flashing golden.

I laughed in his face. "Yah think Ah've nevah been hurt before? Ah know yah'd nevah hurt me, but if Ah evah think otherwise, Ah'll drop yah like a habit. An' _that's_ a promise, sugah."

_Logan might not want to hurtcha, but he will. I'm sorry, kitling, but he's gonna run again, like the fuckin' coward he is. But if ya jest wait fer him to pull his head out of his ass, he'll—_

"Ya don't know shit about me, kid." He snarled back at me.

Oh really? He's going to try to give me that crap when I have his Wolverine in my mind too? Fine. Let him underestimate me like that, now I know what he's going to do next, and I'll hunt him down if I have to, he _promised_.

"Ah have yah in mah head, don't Ah? So don't yah even think about runnin' 'cuz Ah'll find yah no mattah wehere yah go, Ah swear Ah will!" I shouted, unable to keep all of the crazy out of my voice. "So yah can't leave, yah can't..."

_I'm here, kitling, and I ain't goin' anywhere._

_Need him too, need..._

"Please...don't leave me..." I begged.

I didn't care how pathetic I sounded. I'd already been kicked out and thrown away once, and I couldn't do it again, especially not over something as stupid as a goddamn mirror. So I reached for him again and resisted his half hearted attempts to push him away, still pleading with him to let me stay.

Then he was holding me, finally pulling me toward him instead of pushing me away. He knelt in front of me with his forehead resting against the hem of my shirt, and I combed my fingers back through his hair to assure myself that he was still here, still real.

"Yah ain't gonna hurt meh, Ah won't let yah. We ain't gonna leave each other either. It'll be alrah-ght." I whispered, not sure if I was reassuring him or myself.

He straightened his back a bit and placed his chin on top of my head, so I could lay my head against his neck, my hair preventing our skin from actually touching. I wondered if he knew he was doing the same thing his Wolverine had done to me after his nightmare, letting us scent each other.

"I ain't gonna leave ya, kid." He finally mumbled.

Damn right he wouldn't. I just nodded against his neck though, and he didn't let go. We stayed like that for maybe a full minute, just calming down, before he pulled back and yanked something up over his head. He shoved a chain over my head, and I looked down to see the dog tags I had always wondered about dangling around my neck instead.

_Our tags, he gave ya our goddamn tags?!_

_Are they special or somethin'?_

_They're our fucking **tags**, kitling._

With that enlightening explanation, I pulled them away from my neck to get a better look. I'd stared at them a couple of times when I sketched him while he was asleep, but I hadn't wanted to risk getting close enough to read what was engraved on them.

Wolverine.

Logan.

I looked up at Logan, hoping he'd explain better. "He says these are really important...?"

He just clenched his jaw and looked off to the side. "So're you. Happy birthday."

Oh. Well that didn't really explain anything at all, but apparently, I was important. Pathetic and maybe even a little—a lot—desperate, but Logan thought I was important.

"Thank yah, Logan!" I said, hugging him again.

If the tags really were as important as Wolvie seemed to think, then surely he wouldn't just run off without them. As long as I had them, I had him. And maybe he was violent and mean, but I wasn't a good little girl like he seemed to think. When I thought he'd been hurt, my very next thought hadn't been about him, it had been about me. I didn't care whether he was okay or not, I just didn't want to be alone.

But he didn't need to know that.

"Imma take a shower." He muttered, pulling back.

I let him go, finally reassured that he would stay. We both stood, and even despite my lingering doubt, I could feel a grin stretching my face. He would stay.

"Well if Ah'd known yah were gonna take a shower, Ah woulda waited." I said.

God, sometimes I couldn't believe the things that came out of my mouth. But I really did like showering with Logan—it was fun to make him sit on the floor while I washed his hair.

"Don't start with me kid. Just...stay here."

"Are yah sure yah don't want me to go get—"

_If ya leave him alone, he might still run. He's got a good thing goin' here, but Logan couldn't find his ass if his hands were glued to it._

"Ah'll just stay here then." I said, fighting back another grin.

_Yeh so mean, Wolvie._

Two grunts, one out loud from Logan and the other in my head from Wolverine. They fought and acted like they didn't get along, but I wondered again if they knew how alike they really were. Logan walked into the bathroom for his shower, and I slipped in behind him before he could slam the door.

"The fuck, kid?!"

"He says yah not to be trusted to be alone rahght now." I said.

Logan tried to glare me down, but I just sat on the toilet seat and giggled. He thought he was so tough, but he hadn't thrown me out of the shower and he wouldn't throw me out of the bathroom either. Just let him try.

_Damn, kitling. The fuck's gotten into ya?_

_Yeh rahght. Logan can be pretty stupid sometimes. Ah jus' ain't gonna put up with it, is all._

Wolverine made the strange barking sound that I'd figured out was his version of a laugh. I started humming again and swung my legs back and forth while Logan gave up and turned on the water.

That's what I thought.

Logan must have noticed my smug look because he snapped, "Turn around kid, this ain't a show."

Half remembered memories from someone else flickered through my mind. I blushed from both Logan's words and the unwanted thoughts.

"Ah promise Ah won't peek."

I meant it about the memories too. They must have come from the lady who knocked into me at the gas station yesterday because they clearly came from a woman. But the more I concentrated on not thinking about her thoughts, the more I thought about them. It was like that scene in Dumbo where he tried not to think about pink elephants and had a nightmare. That scene always terrified me.

And her voice kept getting louder. I squeezed my eyes shut tighter, as if that would help any.

_Man like that belongs in a Chip and Dale bar. What do you think he's doing with a scrawny little freak like you? Maybe he just feels sorr—_

_Shut the fuck up and sit yer ass back down, bitch. This is my territory and my kitling!_

I focused my concentration on keeping my breathing even. I didn't want Logan to know I was having...problems. I had just convinced him to let me stay, I couldn't afford to have a panic attack or start talking to myself or growling or any of my other crazy habits.

The growling thing was new, but Wolverine's growl shook through my entire body, and it was an effort not to echo it. When it finally stopped though, the lady was quiet and hiding back in the room I'd made her until her voice faded away.

I didn't want to think about the possibility of Wolvie fading away too, so I blurted out a question.

"What's a Chip and Dale bar?"

"Kid...the fuck?!" Logan demanded.

"Ah'm sorry. A lady bumped into me at the gas station yesterday, an' Ah didn't see her coming, an' we both fell, an' Ah was scared, an'—"

"And what's she been saying about Chip and Dale bars?" He interrupted.

I lifted my legs up and wrapped my arms around them. "She says..."

He didn't need to know about the sort of thoughts that had gone through my mind when I heard him unbutton his jeans. Good little girls weren't supposed to know about those sorts of things, and I hated it when the voices shoved their thoughts into my mind anyway.

"...well, she says a lot of things."

"I needta track her down?" He growled.

"What? No—that wouldn't change what she says in mah head. 'Sides, he already made her shut up."

_Thank yah. Mah hero._

A soft growl bordering on a purr echoed through my head. Now that it was safe, I allowed myself to retreat back into my mental space. Wolverine was waiting for me there, and he nudged at my hand. I grinned and obliged him, stroking down his back and scratching behind his ears. This is why I never took Logan seriously when he acted like he was mad at me. I knew at least half of him was just one big puppy.

"Where you wanna eat, kid?" Logan asked, snapping me back into the motel bathroom.

I hadn't even realized I was hungry, but as soon as he mentioned it, I was starving. I usually ate somewhere nice with my family on my birthday, but that was back then. Now I just wanted something fast so I didn't have to think about that.

"Uhhmm, McDonalds?"

"I ain't taking you to Mickey D's for your goddamn birthday."

"Oh."

Maybe I needed to lower my standards a bit. I didn't remember much light coming through the bedroom window, but I hadn't exactly taken the time to check the clock in between picking pieces of glass out of Logan's hand and screaming at him to go fuck himself. We'd driven nearly until morning last night, and I'd been exhausted, so I had no idea how late I'd slept. Maybe it was evening and he already planned on leaving this town. Guess it would be gas station food on the way out of town then.

I waited for Logan to finish showering while I hummed a random tune. He was taking forever though. Logan seemed to take only two types of showers, two minute military showers or twenty minute soaks, and I had never heard him use the bathtub.

_Water, drowning, can't breathe!_

More images and unwanted thoughts shoved their way into my mind. I'd seen glimpses of them before in my nightmares, but this was the first time I'd seen them while awake. Wolverine always kept any mention of Logan's past away from me before, but the thought of a bathtub sent him into a near panic and shaky memories of Logan drowning flooded into my mind.

I was on my feet and clutching the shower curtain before I even realized I'd moved.

"Logan?" I asked for the second time that day.

A horrible thought occurred to me. The last time Wolverine panicked like this was when I first got his voice, and I'd stuck my head beneath the spray of water in the shower. I knew Logan and Wolverine sometimes didn't get along, but would he ever deliberately do that to himself, to Wolvie?

_Shouldn't have seen that, kitling. M'sorry..._

"Sit down, kid." Logan ordered.

I dropped my hand but didn't move. "Yah ain't tryin' to hurt yahself, are yah?"

Logan gave me a sullen no.

_He doesn't like me. Always tries to keep me caged and quiet...fuckin' human..._

I knew Wolvie was playing it up for my benefit, buthe just sounded so sad, and Logan was obviously lying.

"Yeh a bad liar, Logan. An' he says yah do that sometimes 'cause yah don't like him." I retorted.

"Don't go feeling sorry fer him, he's an asshole!" Logan snapped.

"I—"

_Who the fuck is he callin' an asshole?! Tell him to go fuck himself again!_

"No, I—"

_C'mon kit, at least say right back atcha, bub._

"Gawd, fine! He says, right back atcha, bub." I repeated.

_Now hush up!_

"But he's real nice to me, an' yah shouldn't hurt yahself." I finished.

"Turn around."

"Wha—"

"I'm getting out, turn around."

Which was sort of ridiculous, because I'd seen him naked several times before. Whatever, maybe it was for the best, considering how the voices had been acting up. So I did what I was told and even looked down for good measure. I heard Logan step out of the shower, then felt his body heat right behind me. I stayed still, wondering if his Wolverine would make another appearance. But Logan just put his jeans back on and brushed past me instead.

"Where's my shirt?" He demanded.

Lord, but that man could be pissy when he was in a mood. I'd pretty much gotten used to his mood swings though, so I just told him it was on the dresser and grabbed my gloves. I put them on and waited for him by the door while he dressed and tried not to be too obvious about my stolen glances at his bare chest.

I didn't know men could even grow that much hair.

...I kind of liked it.

* * *

**A/N: That Dumbo scene is a real thing, and it's terrifying.**

**So I've realized that this fic has a lot of "f bombs" for a T rating, but I hate it when fics have an M rating just for language. You have to search specifically for them, and the only reason anyone would take the time to do that (in my mind at least) is if they're searching for something with smut in it. And other than the language, I feel like this story is still the tamer of the two, in comparison to BBW. **

**So unless I get some direct complaints, I'm going to keep it at T until Marie and Logan's relationship starts to get physical. Which will happen eventually, so just keep in mind that this story won't always be family appropriate and will one day move up to an M rating.**

**Also, I only got three reviews for the last chapter. What the fuck happened, guys? You don't love me anymore? I need reviews, they're all I have to feed Victor!**

**...and he's hungry...**


	7. Women Are Crazy

I didn't know what to expect when Logan pulled into Target. This wasn't the type of place we'd ever stopped at before for groceries and stuff, so I stayed in the truck when he got out. I settled back against the seat and prepared to wait for him to get what he needed, and I nearly jumped through the roof of the cab when he smacked the hood. He made a curt gesture for me to get out and stalked over to my side. I opened the door and slid past him, but he didn't seem to be mad at me. He just slammed my door shut and locked it.

Like with an actual key instead of a button.

He'd always done that before, but it struck as odd me each and every time. I guess I was just used to cars that locked, unlocked, and rolled down windows with a push of a button. His truck was so old it had a cassette tape player. If it wasn't for my grandma, I wouldn't even know what a cassette was.

I kept quiet about my opinions of his truck though and followed him into Target. We got inside and he stopped in the middle of the store front like he was waiting for something. I looked around. Maybe he was meeting someone.

"Have at it."

I glanced around the store one last time, but there wasn't anyone close enough for him to be talking to. I looked up at him in confusion, then realized that he had been talking to me.

"You need new clothes, kid." He said gruffly.

Oh. The last time he had gotten me new clothes he'd just picked some up at the thrift store and given them to me. But this was...alright, it was Target, not exactly an outlet store. Still, it was by far one of the best places we'd been in since he picked me up, and I certainly couldn't afford to be picky. I just didn't expect this from him. What did he even mean by new clothes? Some shirts? A new jacket?

I stopped scanning the aisles and turned back to him. "What can Ah get?"

"It's your goddamn birthday, get whatever you want." He muttered.

Well damn, sugar.

_Yer our pack-mate. Givin' ya food and clothes and shit is our job._

_So Ah can really get anything?_

_Sure, kit. A good Alpha keeps his pack lookin' nice._

Maybe all that stuff about him being my "Alpha" should have bothered me, and sometimes it did. Neither Logan or Wolvie were all that politically correct or progressive toward women's rights, but I grew up in Mississippi for God's sake, where misogyny was all part of a Southern gentleman's charm. And he usually didn't act like a jerk about it, and he seemed to genuinely want to take care of me.

Plus I got new clothes, so I wasn't going to complain.

I still didn't think Wolvie quite knew what he was promising on Logan's behalf though. I walked through the aisles of teen clothing and everything looked so nice. Logically, I knew it was just the same as it had been before, when I shopped here with my parents. In fact, I might have even been a little put out at buying my clothes from a store that also sold groceries. I was so spoiled, only to have it all ripped away from me and then given back by a complete stranger who just so happened to pick me up and take me in.

It was a little hard to take in.

I finally snapped out of it enough to start actually looking at the clothes instead of just blankly staring at what was in front of me. Should I stick to clearance and sale items? I didn't know what Logan planned on spending, and I didn't want to overstep myself. Most of the items on sale were left over from summer though, and it was getting too cold for t-shirts and capris.

Not that I should be wearing such revealing clothes anyway.

_Damn straight, kitling. Don't want some bar room asshole sniffin' after ya._

_Yeah, Ah guess. Those jerks are kinda scary, but mostly Ah jus' don't want something like in the gas station to happen again. Can't risk showing so much skin._

A dark green long sleeved shirt caught my eye, and I made my way over to it. The sign above it said it was fifteen dollars, which suddenly seemed like a lot of money, especially compared to the thrift store shirt I was wearing now. Logan stood behind me, and I held it up so he could see.

"Is this okay?" I asked.

He looked the shirt over, but didn't even glance at the price on the sign before he nodded. I didn't actually know how much he made cage fighting, but he'd never made it seem like money was an issue before. I draped the shirt over my arm and decided I'd get several tops and maybe a pair of jeans or two, and if he had a problem about it, he could just tell me. Logan had always been upfront about it if he didn't like something before.

"Imma get a cart. Stay in sight." Logan ordered.

I nodded without really looking at him. "Okay, sugah."

He left, and I kept browsing. The next time I looked up, Logan was talking to a young saleswoman. She stood way too close to him, and I could see her smile from across the store. I turned around and glared at an innocent pile of shirts.

_Problem, kitling?_

I grit my teeth at Wolvie's smug tone. _Nope. If Logan wants to get some hussy's number, it's none of mah business._

_So she's a hussy?_

_If she smiles any wider, she might jus' get arrested by Batman._

_Yeah kit, 'cause nothing says "I want the D" like a smile._

I huffed at his teasing and leaned over the table of shirts, gripping the edges to keep my temper in check. _Ah don't care what Logan does with his women. He can jus' do it on his own time. This is __**mah**__ birthday!_

_Don't be jealous, kitling._

_Ah'm no—_

I got too caught up in my mental argument and leaned a bit too far forward. Just as I was about to fall on my face for no apparent reason, a hand pressed against my waist and steadied me.

_Told ya there was nothing fer ya to be jealous of. Yer our pack-mate, and ya come first._

"I thought I told you to stay in sight, kid."

I pretended like I was looking at the shirts. "Ah did, yah were just distracted bah that—"

Hussy.

"—lady."

"You saw that?" He asked.

Logan actually sounded embarrassed, which made it easy to fake a laugh like everything was fine when I straightened. His hand fell down to the small of my back, and I resisted the urge to throw myself at him and scream at the hussy that he was my friend and I didn't friggin' share!

Maybe that was why he wouldn't let me go to the bars and watch him fight.

_Goddamn, kit. Ya wanna claw her eyes out too?_

I ignored Wolvie and tried for a light, teasing tone. "Ah thought she was gonna tackle yah any minute."

_Ah jus' don't wanna share him when it's mah time. He has enough time for that when he goes out._

Logan grimaced. "Women are crazy."

I swallowed. Shit. Er, wait, damn. God, whatever. Maybe I was a little possessive, but I was an only child, and I'd never had to share anything before. And I thought I'd done a good job so far at keeping the voices under control, but if Logan really wanted to talk about crazy women, I had that hussy beat by miles.

I couldn't help asking, "Even meh?"

Logan leaned back against the table, and I took advantage of his shifting to move a little closer.

"Weren't you the one who promised to hunt me down? Said something clever about dropping me too." He said with a smirk.

Oh, that. I looked down at my feet. Well Logan, you see the thing about that one time when I threatened to hunt you down if you ever left is that I didn't reall—oh, who am I kidding? I meant every word of it, so don't get any ideas.

Wolverine barked out a laugh in my head, and Logan pulled me closer. I gratefully pressed myself against his chest, and he nudged the side of my head with his cheek.

"I don't think you're crazy though." He rumbled.

"Thanks."

Oh thank the sweet baby Jesus, he didn't know how crazy I was yet. Now let's just drop it and forget all about it. I looked up at him and gave him a quick smile.

"Do yah like this one?" I asked, grabbing a random shirt from the table.

I'd never even seen it before, and when Logan's nostrils flared, I dropped my gaze down to it in a near panic. It didn't have something stupid like "Man-Eater" written on it, did it? But no, it was just a regular cotton long sleeved shirt. Logan muttered something that I couldn't quite pick up.

"What did yah say?" I asked.

He cleared his throat. "Fabric of death. Get it wet, and it'll suck the body heat right outta ya."

"Oh. What kind should Ah get?" I put the shirt back on the table, wondering if I should have just stuck to the sale items after all.

"Woo. Or...uhm...that stuff." Logan pointed to a different rack of shirts.

"Polyester?"

He just grunted. I took that as a sign of approval and picked out a few more shirts made of polyester and wool. Logan followed behind me, watching over me but not making any more comments. I stopped after I had about fifteen shirts and a couple of jeans picked out and started searching for a dressing room instead. Logan followed me inside. Even though we'd both seen each other naked before, I suddenly understood his reluctance to take his clothes off in front of me this morning and turned around when I took off my shirt.

Logan ran out like his ass was on fire.

I threw my shirt back on and peeked outside. He stood just outside, his hands clenched into was his problem? Was he just claustrophobic or something, or did I do something wrong? I took a few steps toward him.

"Logan?" I asked.

"What the hell was that?" He demanded.

"...a changing room?"

He narrowed his eyes at me and flexed his hands. "To change you into what, a stripper?!"

If he didn't look so cute when he was flustered, I might have actually gotten angry at that. But I just raised an eyebrow instead and tried not to grin at what I swore was a slight blush beneath his stubble.

"The clothes, sugah. Ah have to make sure they fit." I explained.

"Can't you just pick out your size and buy it?" He asked.

I laughed. I mean, I really laughed. Like it was hard for me to remain upright, laughing. Maybe he could buy his shirts in packs of ten for two dollars, but I was a girl. If he didn't want to be here for an hour, he shouldn't have told me to get whatever I wanted.

Silly man.

I went back into the dressing room and finished changing into the shirt that I had picked out. The sleeves came down to my knuckles, but I always thought that look was kind of cute. It was a nice orange color that was bright enough to be colorful, but not annoyingly loud. The perfect fall color. It fit well too, just tight enough that it wasn't loose but not so tight that it really emphasized anything.

Frankly, I didn't have much to emphasize, a fact that was made crystal clear as I stared at myself in the mirror. I used to worry about that. Most of the other girls in my grade had already started to..."develop" but I guess I was just a late bloomer, and that had always bothered me before. I didn't mind so much now. Wolverine had a good point about not wanting to attract any attention to myself, especially with the sorts of places we went.

I gave up on the mirror and went outside to show Logan. He was sitting on one of the benches outside and looked up when I stepped out.

"What does this one look like?" I asked.

Logan looked at me like I had asked him to tell me the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle whose side was the tangent line of a circle.

"A shirt...?" He guessed.

Wrong! Please see me after class.

"Yeeeessss, but how does it fit?"

He looked me up and down and shrugged. "Like it covers everything."

I opened my mouth. Oh really, Logan? But then I thought the better of it and closed my mouth. Damn, the man was useless. He probably wouldn't know fashion if it told him his butt was fabulous. I blushed and tried to choke down a giggle at the thought of Logan being hit on by a drag queen.

"My opinion is useless, isn't it?" He asked.

"Yeah." Took the words right out of my mouth, sugar.

He leaned back against the wall. "Just let me know when you're done."

"It's not yeh fault, sugah. Yeh just so..." I paused and sighed. "Male."

"Never had a complaint about that before." He muttered.

Yeah, I bet he hadn't. Wait, woah girl. I seriously did _not_ need to go there, especially after what had happened in the bathroom this morning. Was my face as red as it felt?

"Ah'm just...Ah'll...uhm..." Wow, my shoes were suddenly just SO interesting.

Logan slid down the wall until he laid on the bench, the very picture of male boredom. I looked back up at him and he waved his hand at me in surrender.

"Yeah, I'll wait."

I rolled my eyes at his dramatics, but I made sure to do it after I had turned around and he couldn't see me. I still had a lot more tops to try on, but as soon as I stepped back inside the dressing room, the mirror assaulted me. The first thing I noticed was how frizzy my hair had gotten. Thanks a lot, cheap motel shampoo.

I had always hated my hair. It was a dark color, not quite black, but with a little too much red to really be brown. It frizzed and tangled and sometimes curled, but never the way I wanted it to. I wanted the type of gorgeous red hair that shone like fire and somehow always managed to...to..._cascade _into ringlets. Instead it was a weird non-color that could give Medusa a run for her money, no matter what I tried to do with it.

God, I hated my hair. The only part of myself that I hated more than my hair was my skin. And not just for the obvious reason, although that was definitely a big part. But it wasn't enough that my skin was just poisonous, oh no. I also had to have freckles. When girls have freckles in the movies, it's just a smattering across the tips of their nose that makes them look oh so freaking cute. But my freckles weren't limited to just my face. If my shoulders saw even a glimpse of sun, they'd show up there. Even now that it was fall, I still had some left over from the summer, spreading down my shoulders to my arms like some sort of blotchy cancer.

_What. The. Fuck._

I almost smashed my face into the mirror, Wolvie's interruption startled me so badly. Usually when the voices heard me spiral into the black hole of teenage angst, they just joined in on listing all of the things that were wrong with me.

_There ain't nothin' wrong with ya, kitling!_

I almost teared up at Wolverine's reassurance, but I knew he was wrong. There were a lot of things wrong with me, inside and out, but it was sweet of him to say otherwise.

_Stop, jest fuckin' stop. I ain't gonna sit in here and listen to ya bitch 'bout some made up shit._

_Listen, Wolvie. Yah jus' don't under—_

_Shut it, kit. Ya look fine, and if anyone ever says different, ya jest tell Logan, and he'll gut 'em._

I gave the mirror a shaky smile.

_See? Yer a pretty lil kitling, when ya ain't bitchin'._

I grinned, and Wolverine managed to make a sound that was somehow a combined huff, growl, and purr. I pulled the shirt up over my head, but then I couldn't pull it the rest of the way off. The shirt covered my face and wrapped around my arms, and I just couldn't pull it up any higher, but I couldn't get my head out of it either.

So this is how I would die. In a changing room, trapped and suffocated inside a shirt because I was too embarrassed to shout for help. I twisted and flopped and tugged and finally broke free, ripping the shirt off my head and barely managing to push down the urge to let loose a scream of triumph. I did let out a yelp though when I victoriously yanked my arm out of the sleeve, only to somehow catch my finger on one of the plastic tags.

I brought my finger up to my face, but before I could pop it into my mouth and lick the blood away, Logan suddenly broke down the door. Literally. I think he just slammed his shoulder against it, and the poor little thing just slammed open. I started to chastise him for just breaking down the door like that, but then I caught a glimpse of the look on his face, right before he crushed me against his chest.

It was the same look on his face back at the hotel room, when he thought he'd hurt me.

"Ah'm sorry! Ah'm so sorry, sugah! Ah just caught mah finger on a zipper, an' it tore off mah hangnail." I rushed to reassure him.

He grabbed my finger and looked it over. A little bit of blood trickled out from the torn hangnail, but after the initial sting, it didn't even hurt now. He seemed to realize that it was nothing major and relaxed a bit.

"Yer fine, kid. I'm just jumpy. I uh..." He mumbled.

Logan let go of me but didn't move out of my space. I didn't mind. In fact, I was still feeling a bit down from my earlier bout of angst and having him here with me was kind of nice.

"Yah can sit in the corner." I said. Logan didn't reply. "Ah...Ah mean, if yah want."

"Ya don't mind?" He asked.

I smiled a bit when Logan shifted his weight from foot to foot, looking just as awkward as I felt.

"Ain't nothing yah haven't seen before. Now sit." I told him.

Wolverine only offered half hearted growls of protest in my mind, but I could tell that at this point, him and Logan both had just resigned themselves to my sass.

"I'm sitting because I was already planning to, not because you told me." Logan announced with a scowl.

I looked back at him with a perfectly straight face, with just a hint of wide eyed innocence. He sat. I managed to keep the smirk off my face until he dropped his head down to rest on his arms, but then I let out an evil grin and barely managed to keep from cackling manically. Instead, I patted his head and scratched him behind the ears the way my Wolvie liked it.

Logan pretty much just sulked in the corner while I tried on the clothes I'd picked out. I would have let him go out and maybe walk around the store a bit, but I didn't think there was anything out there that would hold his interest either, and Logan just kind of seemed to brood where ever he was. The only time he made an actual comment on something I had picked out instead of just nodding or grunting was when I tried on a black sequined top. He vetoed that, which I supposed was his right since he was buying the clothes anyway.

After I'd tried on all the clothes I wanted, eliminating the ones that didn't fit right and that one top with the sequins, I had twelve shirts and five pants. Logan didn't make any sort of objection when I put them in the cart, so I figured he was okay with buying all of them. He even suggested I pick up some "feminine stuff."

So we ventured into the health and beauty part of the store, with Logan trailing behind me like he was marching to his death. Men.

* * *

**A/N: Happy things first: this is a shout out to doctorg (spelled exactly like that) who writes amazing Rogan stories, which are far better than mine. She's one of my favorite Rogan authors, so if you're looking for more Rogan-y goodness, head over her way!**

**Sadness now: So apparently someone thought Marie was Christian bashing in the last BBW chapter. I'd like to reply to them privately, in person, except they left their review as a guest. But I'd just like to clear this up for everyone: saying you're wary of churches after being brought up in an uber strict religious household (of which I have personal experience) and then being kicked out basically because God doesn't love mutants (obviously I don't have experience with that; later chapters will cover that more) is NOT Christian bashing. It's being afraid of churches/religion/Christianity because she had really bad experiences with it.**

**Just wanted to get that cleared up in case anyone else was under the wrong impression. Although, honestly, if you're that much of a hardcore Christian, why are you reading smut about an underaged girl and the motherfucking Wolverine. Logan isn't exactly the poster child for following authority and organized religion. Just saying, this may have been the wrong genre for you in the first place...**


	8. Casual

"Get some girl stuff while you're here. I don't wanna ever see another store again." Logan grumbled at me as we walked through the store.

I didn't understand why he acted so grumpy. He hadn't spent the last hour standing in front of a mirror, putting clothes on and taking them off, struggling with buttons and tags and insecurities. And yet he really did look kind of tired. Driving twelve hours straight? Couple of bathroom breaks and good to go. Fighting in a cage and getting shot at for being a mutant? Just yank out the bullets, kid. Shopping at Target for one hour? Exhausted, I can't go on, I don't ever want to see another store again.

"Evah?" I teased.

"...least a coupla months." He muttered.

I started making a mental list of what I needed. Still good on toothpaste and deodorant. Shampoo, though. I definitely needed some good shampoo and conditioner. Some pads with wings would be nice too. Logan just bought the basic kind at the gas station, and while appreciated him getting them for me, what I really needed the kind with wings.

Of course, the last time we talked about period shopping, he hadn't been too happy about it.

I finally dared to look up at him. "So bah girly stuff, yah mean..."

"I really don't want to hafta buy ya tampons again, kid."

He grimaced and I winced in sympathy.

"Sorry."

"Ain't yer fault. I shoulda smelled it comin' an—"

I brought the cart to a screeching halt and stared at him in horror. "Yah can smell that?!"

Oh God, please no.

_Course we can, kit._

"Yeah. Problem?"

They both sounded so freaking casual, like it was no big deal that Logan could smell my period. Oh dear Lord, _Logan could smell my period!_ I didn't know whether to throw up for him or just fall to the floor and die. Maybe I should do both. How had he let me sleep next to him like that?!

Logan was still waiting for me to answer, so I tried to sound just as casual. "Wha—Ah...no. No problem."

See how cool and casual I am about you being able to sme—

"It's fahne."

Fine fine fine. Just fine. Casual.

"Ah'll just curl up in a ball of shame and die."

No wait, shut up Marie, not casual!

"...that's all."

Good, now shut up!

_Heh. Don't worry, kit. Jest lets him know yer fertile, like a healthy little kitling should be._

_Ohmahgawd, stop!_

"S'nothing to be ashamed of, it's just a part of a woman's body and growth and uh...repro—"

"Ah am not having this conversation with yah."

_Either of yah!_

Except Logan almost saying the word "reproduction" caused the faint voice I still had left of Cody to remind me of that one time a sub let us watch Grease. He didn't really even have a voice left, just a hazy impression, but it was enough to get the song stuck in my head.

_Reproduction..._

"Yah don't need to be embarrassed, kid."

_Reproduction!_

"It's um, natural an' shit."

_Is that all you think about?_

As inconvenient as it was to have a song from Grease stuck in my head while Logan tried to talk to me about my period, it did at least lighten me up enough that I could relax a bit and roll my eyes at him.

"It ain't granola, Logan. An' Ah already had this talk with mah dad, puh-lease don't make me have it with yah." I said.

Logan's jaw clenched. "Oh, look. Tampons."

Did I do something wrong again? Maybe he didn't like being called old. Logan probably wasn't really even that old. My dad was almost in his fifties, and Logan didn't quite look like he was in his forties yet. Actually, wait. Never mind. Maybe he just didn't want to be compared to my dad because once I started thinking about it, I felt a little creeped out myself.

The best thing I could do at this point was keep my mouth shut and grab what I needed as quickly as possible. Luckily, I spotted the brand always got before pretty quickly. I threw them in the cart and moved on to the next aisle to look at the shampoo, because my hair really...really needed it. The start of the make up section began on the rack opposite the one filled with shampoo, and I considered it for a few seconds.

I'd never been allowed to wear makeup before, but my parents certainly weren't here now. Not that I would even know where to begin. A thousand different kinds of makeup filled the rack, and I knew there were two more aisles of the stuff past this one. I felt a bit overwhelmed just looking at all of it. Was there a difference between foundation and coverup? How could my eyelashes be two hundred percent longer? Why were women who were clearly only in their thirties advertising anti-aging serum and what was that stuff anyway?

An ad with a teenager who had dark chestnut hair and green eyes caught my eye. She kind of looked like me, except better in every way. Her hair fell perfectly straight and stylish down to her shoulders and her eyes were a bright color instead of a hazel muddle. The poster promised her eyes looked so bright because she used a special eyeshadow combo pack that specifically made green eyes pop.

The little plastic container of eyeshadow had four different squares of color, which were each numbered, presumably in the order you needed to apply them in order to get the "smoky eye look." But how were you supposed to put them on? Did you just layer them all on the same place or were you supposed to put certain colors in different spots? The eyeshadow green-eyed teen seemed to blend from a light shimmery color to a deep forest green at the edge of her eye flawlessly. And did you put on the eyeshadow before or after the eyeliner? I thought eyeliner just came in black, but there were at least fifteen different colors on display, so how was I supposed to know what color of eyeliner to use with what color of eyeshadow? And did I have to color coordinate my mascara too?

My head hurt, and I hadn't even considered my skin, lips, or eyebrows.

_Fuck this shit._

I grinned at Wolvie's profanity. Maybe that teen looked perfect and maybe if I bought all of the products she endorsed, I could look perfect too, but in the words of Wolverine, fuck that shit. I didn't have anyone to look pretty for and I knew Logan didn't care. Maybe one day I would want to look pretty for someone, but right now I just wanted my hair to look okay and that was as much concern as I could muster. Besides, that looked like a lot of work and effort to go through that every single day whereas I could just step out of the shower and be good to go.

And it was kind of nice to know that I could wear an oversized t-shirt with uncombed hair and cheeto stained fingers and Logan would still drag me into a diner for lunch without a second thought. I bet that teen had to look nice wherever she went and had fake friends that wouldn't be seen with her in public if she didn't.

"_Jessica, please report to aisle three, there's been a spill. Jessica to aisle three."_

At least, that's what I told myself.

Logan stumbled around the corner and leaned against the makeup rack. I wasn't sure, but I thought I saw his claws sink into the metal, and he seemed to be shaking. I rushed over to him, looking for blood or injuries.

"Oh mah gawd, sugah! Are yah okay?" I asked.

Was there something wrong with him? Was he sick or hurt? Had someone shot him again? Had—

"She...explained...moon cup." He gasped with a look of absolute terror.

I had to clench my jaw and press my lips together to keep in my laughter. The mighty Wolverine, brought down by a moon cup. Wasn't that a bit ironic, it being a _moon_ cup?

_Smellin' it is one thing, and havin' it explained in minute fuckin' detail is another._

_Ah thought it was a healthy part of a woma—_

Logan and Wolverine both snarled at me at the same time, but Logan's snarl was cut off by another fit of gagging. He really did look traumatized by it. I moved closer to him and awkwardly ran my hand over his back. That was what you were supposed to do when people felt nauseous, right? It must have been right, because Logan pulled me against him and laid his head against my shoulder while he calmed down.

I didn't mind the awkward hug or how this had to be at least the third time today he had hugged me. My parents didn't exactly dole out affection, and I certainly hadn't gotten or wanted any hugs while I was on the road. With the danger of my skin, I had almost given up on normal little displays of affection like hugs and holding hands, but Logan didn't even seem to consider my skin to be a problem at all. He'd never acted worried or flinched away from me, and it was just so nice to be touched in a way that wasn't painful or scary.

He pulled back a bit, just enough that we were on eye level again. "I'm fine, kid. But if you wander off again, I'm throwing you in the goddamn cart and pushing you around myself. Understand?"

With all that he'd done for me, I could do that for him. "Yes, Logan."

"Was there something else you needed, kid?" He straightened back up and asked.

It took me a moment to shake off the dizzy feeling looking into his hazel-golden eyes always gave me before I nodded.

"Uh huh. Ah wanted some shampoo 'cause the kahnd at the motels makes mah hair all frizzy." I said.

"Alright, just get the travel sized bottle, kid."

I didn't get what all this "kid" business was about, but maybe he was still just a bit shaken from the moon cup thing. I shrugged it off and started looking for a good shampoo. Getting the right combination of shampoo and conditioner for my hair was really difficult, and they almost always had to be two different types. My hair frizzed out if it didn't get enough moisture, but it also got really oily if it got too much, because the universe hates me. Maybe I could get a shampoo for oily hair and a moisturizing conditioner.

Or should it be vice versa?

I grabbed a pink bottle that promised to prevent frizz and noticed that it was strawberry scented. I hadn't really had a bad headache since I got Wolvie to help me keep the voices quiet, but strong smells always made them worse. Just out of curiosity, I popped the lid open and took a sniff. I almost gagged and quickly shoved the bottle back onto the shelf.

I noticed I could smell better after I touched Logan, but I didn't think I was this sensitive, although I never really liked the scent of strawberry anyway. It smelled too sickly sweet and fruity. And if I hated it that much, it had to be far worse for Logan. Maybe I should check the other bottles and make sure that whatever I got wasn't headache inducing.

But it seemed like every single shampoo bottle was scented to smell like something. Strawberry, vanilla, cinnamon, mint...they all smelled fake and made my head hurt. I was going to give myself a headache just from sniffing all of them. This latest one was the worst, right up there with strawberry.

"Ya gonna make a decision?" Logan demanded.

My, he was grumpy today. But shopping clearly didn't appear to be an activity that any man enjoyed, yet he was putting up with it so I could have nice things for my birthday, so the least I could do was be polite. One of us had to have manners.

"Sure thing, sugah. It's jus' that ever since Ah touched yah, Ah can smell a bit better. Ah figure if it smells bad to me, it must smell a lot worse to yah, an' Ah don't wanna give yah a headache because Ah smell like...Ahvocado and basil leaf. Ah can't decide if Ah hate it or wanna eat it." I explained.

Logan seemed to calm down a bit with the explanation, so I offered him the next bottle I picked. I didn't think it smelled half bad, but I worried it still might be a bit too fruity to him.

"Here, sugah. Smell this one." I said.

I held out the bottle, but he didn't move, just flared his nostrils. I couldn't decide whether the expression made him look more attractive or just ridiculous, but I wanted to sketch it regardless. I would have his head tilted up and slightly to the side, nostrils flared and eyes searching for something just off the page, like a wolf catching a scent. He solidified my comparison to a wolf when he growled lowly, so deep and smooth it sounded like the purr he made when I washed his hair.

I laughed. "Ah'll take that as a yes, then."

Logan abruptly choked off the noise like he hadn't realized he'd been making it and cleared his throat. I laughed again at the slightly embarrassed look on his face and wondered what he looked like when he blushed. If he blushed. He apparently liked the shampoo though, so I threw it in the cart with the matching conditioner. I didn't really feel like smelling all of the conditioners too, and if it made my hair too greasy, I would just skip conditioning for a day.

"Anything else Ah should get?" I asked.

"Can't think of nothing, unless you just want something." He replied.

Shampoo and conditioner? Check. Pads and tampons? Check. Toothpaste? Check. Deodorant? Check. I finished my mental list with an absent hum and turned the cart around. Logan walked behind me, and neither of us said anything for a bit. But I couldn't resist teasing him some, especially since he'd try to have The Period Talk with me.

"So did Jessica traumatize yah?" I asked.

"Who?"

"Jessica."

He stared at me like he had no idea what I was talking about.

"The saleslady?" I tried.

He immediately stopped walking and clenched his jaw against another gag.

"Oh, mah bad, sugah. Ah guess that's another yes." I said.

Oops. I had wanted to tease him, but I didn't know it would be that bad. I felt a bit guilty for deliberately bringing it up like that, so I patted his back again. He let me do that for a few seconds before he straightened back up and started walking again. I tried to let him save some of his male pride and let it go, but I just couldn't.

"She seemed to lahke yah." I ventured.

That wasn't period stuff, so maybe it was okay to talk about. And I really didn't mind if he got her number, just as long as he saw her after we were done shopping. No, I didn't mind at all, and Wolverine could go suck an egg if he thought otherwise.

He just shrugged though. "Lotta women like me."

"Do yah like women?"

Logan almost tripped over his own feet, and I regretted ever opening my mouth. That was what always happened. For some reason, I just always had to push a little too far when I really should just leave things alone.

"What?" He asked.

Almost at the same time, I said, "Ah'm sorry, Ah shouldna asked that. It's none of mah business..."

Good, now stop there.

"Ah jus' wondered 'cause yah've said some stuff but Ah've nevah seen yah with one..."

Noooo, stop talking! Why can I never stop talking when I get nervous?

"An'—" I took a deep breath and looked at my feet. "Ahmma shut up now."

"Has...uh...he...never said anything 'bout...that...to ya?" Logan mumbled out.

Well, at least he looked as embarrassed and uncomfortable as I felt. Share the misery. I really needed to learn how to keep my stupid mouth shut, but maybe I could fix this.

"He doesn't talk about that stuff tah me. He hardly evah talks about yah. Jus' says yah'll protect me. Mostly he jus' yells at evah-reyone else." I reassured him.

"Good." He growled.

"Ah'm so—"

Logan cut me off before I could put my foot back in my mouth. "Ain't ya fault at all, kid. Yah just don't needta hear 'bout that shit or ever worry 'bout it."

What, about his sex life or just sex in general? Because I'd logged into tumblr a few times in public libraries and that "I don't know anything about sex" ship has already sailed, sugar. Well...okay, mostly. It's like...making its way out of the harbor. I was fourteen (today) for God's sakes, but if Logan didn't want to talk about sex, that was fine with me. I didn't need any more reminders of what I couldn't have.

"I can get you over here, sir!" Jessica called.

Even if she was annoying, I appreciated the distraction. Logan and I both let the conversation drop and made our way over to her check out lane. I tried to help put the clothes on the assembly belt, but Logan grabbed my hand.

"Pick out what you want to wear tonight." He told me.

His thumb brushed over he back of my hand when he let go. It may not have been a big deal, but it meant a lot to me. He could be mean and grumpy sometimes-most of the time-but he always took care of me and never made me feel different because of my skin. Most of the time I was around him, I forgot all about it.

"Go change in the bathroom, then come right back here."

"Mmkay, sugah." I said in a daze.

It wasn't until I'd wandered into the bathroom that I realized I had done what he told me and grabbed a random top and jeans. Another woman came out of one of the stalls, so at least I had went into the girl's bathroom. I went in the other stall and changed into my new clothes, although I still wore my old jacket on top of them.

Jessica was trying to flirt with Logan when I came back out of the bathroom, but he ignored her completely and grabbed the bags of clothes, just walking off without the cart. I shooed him back and he stopped in front of me.

"Yah gotta put the cart back, Logan." I said.

"I'll get it for you, Logan." Jessica piped up, somehow managing to roll the L around in her mouth into a breathy sigh.

I finally surrendered all maturity and gave her the stank eye as we walked out, Logan not even glancing back in her direction. Maybe brunettes just weren't his type. I tried to stop thinking about her and, to make up for being a bad person, reached for one of the bags Logan carried. He just grinned and swung them out of my reach. I reached for them again, but he shifted back until I had to press myself up against him in my effort to reach the bags he kept behind his back.

"C'mon, Logan. Ah can carry one bag." I protested.

He pushed me away, still wearing that stupid smirk and acted like he would just keep walking. What, I couldn't carry a bag of my own clothes? I was a strong, independent woman, and I could handle one damn grocery bag, and screw him if he thought otherwise!

_Gettin' a little close to that time of the month, huh kit?_

Logically, I knew Logan wasn't really to blame for Wolvie's comment, but it still pissed me off even more, so I lunged at him. He grabbed my shoulder and actually held me back, like I was an overly excited toddler. He was so going down.

I dug my feet into the asphalt for leverage and pushed forward, trying to extend my reach enough that I could land a hit on the crook of his elbow and knock his arm down. I didn't have any luck until his eyes suddenly widened, and I managed to bat his arm away. Without him holding me back though, I stumbled a bit, but I quickly straightened back up and gave him my own cocky smirk.

But then our eyes met, and I saw that he looked more worried than defeated and it dawned on me that he had only let go because he thought he had hurt me again.

"Yah let meh win!" I snapped.

"Yeah, I fucking did! I ain't gonna choke you out in a goddamn parking lot! Are ya tryin' to get me arrested?" He demanded.

I winced, thinking about how it might look to a random passerby. Logan was right, someone would probably think he really was hurting me, just because I was smaller and female.

"But Ah was the one attacking yah!" I still protested.

Logan replied by leaning back against the outside wall of the store and laughing in my face. Under other circumstances, I would have been happy to finally see him laugh, but at that moment it just pissed me off all over again.

"Don't yah dare laugh at me!" I shouted, poking his chest with an accusing finger.

He managed to stop laughing, but he still wore that damn smirk. I gave him my best angry snarl and pivoted, marching away from him. In just a few seconds, I could hear him catch up behind me, but I refused to turn around and acknowledge him or slow my pace, even when he tugged on my hair. He kept touching it though, running his fingers through the frizzy mess, pulling ever so slightly. I tried to stay mad at him, I really did, but soon my eyes started to drift shut out of pure relaxation. The next time I looked up, we were in front of his truck.

"Get in, kid." Logan whispered in my ear, making me feel oddly warm.

Yes, it was really, really hard to stay mad at that man.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, I know this scene is one chapter in BBW, but it's 15 pages. And that's a lot to write, especially when I'm trying to prepare for a vacation. I will try to have the other half posted on Wednesday as per usual, and even have a BBW update on Monday like always too. So please excuse the shortness of this chapter.**

**Remember two chapters back when I mentioned that I would like more reviews? Well, you guys delivered with around twenty of them and it was like Christmas, but with more miracles. So if you could keep that shit up, I would be SO HAPPY.**

**One last thing, just out of curiosity. Which story do you like better, Marie's or Logan's? Your answer won't change anything, like one of them suddenly disappearing, I'm just really curious whose voice you're liking more.**


	9. Bad Influence

"Get in, kid."

I hopped in the scruffy man's truck without a second thought, right up until I buckled my seatbelt and realized that this sort of situation was _exactly_ what all of those after school specials warned me about. That thought almost made me laugh. Logan kept me safer and treated me better than anyone else had in my entire life, including my parents.

Even if he did have a weird habit of smelling me. He had stayed to his side of the truck and tried to be subtle about it, but I stuck my tongue out at him just to let him know he wasn't fooling me, and that I was still kind of peeved about the grocery bags, but not angry enough to keep fighting or ignore him.

"Ah ain't mad, sugah. Ah jus—"

GRUGHNGL.

And that would be my stomach. I tried to fight my blush down and play it cool like my stomach wasn't trying to eat me from the inside out, but Logan yanked his keys back out of the ignition and twisted in his seat to glare at me.

"Have ya even eaten today?" He didn't wait for me to reply. "Next time ya get fucking hungry, ya let me know so I can fucking feed ya."

"Well Ah wasn't all that hungry 'til Ah started movin' around an' doin' stuff." I mumbled.

"Don't wanna hear it, kid. It's my job to feed an' protect ya an' I—"

"Ah think yeh doin' a great job, Logan. Ah jus' didn't want tah wake yah when yah were sleepin' so well." I interrupted.

I didn't want Logan to get into another one of his brooding moods, but I'd already pushed my luck enough by interrupting him in the middle of his lecture. I didn't know what else to do, so I just touched his arm, hoping that might calm him down some. He stayed still for a few moments, but then he jammed his keys back into the ignition, knocking off my hand. He put his seatbelt on without me nagging at him to though, which made me feel a little bit better.

_Pet him again, kit._

_Ah don't think touch from meh is exactly...reassuring._

It was so easy to forget about my skin and how it made people feel when I was around Logan. I should have known better, but Logan being Logan, he had at least let me touch him for a little while. Just because he wasn't afraid, didn't mean I could afford to get sloppy, though.

Wolverine just snorted. _Ya ain't gonna hurt him._

_Ah can't jus' go touching him willy-nilly!_

_Yeah kit, ya can. Ya pet me all the time. Calms us down._

_Ah don't think Logan likes people getting in his space..._

_Ya ain't jest some kid off the street. Yer our pack-mate. Get it through yer head._

I took a deep breath and took my glove off. I'd kept them off whenever it was just us in the hotel rooms before, so it wasn't like my bare skin or even me touching him was anything new. I'd just never deliberately taken off my gloves for the sole purpose of touching him. But I guess I'd never done anything in halves, so if I was going to touch him, it might as well be gloves off.

His hand rested on the gear shift, and I laid my hand on top of his like it wasn't any big deal. Then the car suddenly jerked and made a grinding sound, and he abruptly shifted gears. I yanked my hand back and he growled at me.

_Ah told yah!_

"Ah'm sorry! Ah won't...nevah again—" I stumbled over my words, trying to apologize fast enough to make everything okay again.

"—kid, don't—"

"—Ah pro—"

Logan grabbed my hand. He actually touched me, gripping my hand so tight it hurt a little, but I welcomed the pain. At least he was touching me, and I knew better now, I'd learned my lesson, I wouldn't ever do something that stupid ag—

"I ain't good at apologizing, Marie." He muttered.

He kept hold of my hand, his thumb stroking over the back of it again. I don't think he even realized he did that. I quickly shut my mouth when I realized I'd been gaping at him out of shock when he grabbed my hand. He looked away, and I tried to figure out what he needed to apologize for. The groceries? No, that was just a hissy fit that looked childish the more I thought about it. Not feeding me? He said he would take me out to get food, and I guessed we were on our way to a gas station or something now, so that didn't make sense either. If anything, I should be apologizing for touching him like that without permission or a warning or something.

"It's alrahght, sugah. Ah get cranky when Ah'm hungry too. Ah think we'll both be happier after we eat." I replied, somewhat hesitantly.

_Ya jest startled him, that's all, kit. Probably didn't even meanta growl atcha._

Well, if Wolvie said so...and Logan still hadn't let go of my hand, so maybe he was right. He couldn't exactly shift gears and hold my hand though, so I tugged gently, and he eased his grip enough for me to slip my hand out. I should have kept my hands in my lap after that, but I wanted to know if Wolvie was right, if Logan really didn't mind me touching him, so I put my hand back on top of his like I had it in the first place.

Logan didn't pull away.

I waited for a bit longer, just to be sure, but he seemed fine with it. And with my hand resting on top of his, he could still shift gears when he needed to. His hand felt warm beneath my own, warm enough that I would have worried he had a fever if I didn't know better. His arms were covered in coarse black hair that extended just a little farther onto the back of his hand than I thought it would. I rubbed my thumb through it, feeling where it got finer and eventually disappeared into rough skin. I wondered where his claws were. I couldn't feel anything beneath his skin other than muscle. I swear his thumb muscle seemed bigger than most men's biceps.

I shifted my hand so that just the tips of my fingers brushed against his knuckles. They should have been cracked and scarred from the fights, but his healing must have taken care of that. My curiosity got the best of me, and I slipped my fingers in between his knuckles, to the spots where his claws came out. His skin felt smoother there, and I couldn't feel anything beneath them. Maybe his claws were farther up? If they didn't rest just between his knuckles, then they would have to cut through muscle and tendon and finally skin to punch their way out of his hands. I thought about the odd sound they made when they came out and how his face had looked when he said it hurt every time.

Logan didn't look angry or tense anymore, so I kept tracing over his knuckles until we pulled into a parking lot. I recognized the restaurant, but I didn't understand why we were here. He didn't say anything, and I let my hand rest on top of his again while I waited for an explanation.

"We gonna get outah the car, sugah?"

So patience wasn't my virtue. Sue me. Logan didn't reply though, but I saw a flash of gold in his eyes as he stared at something beyond me. And I didn't mean just the parking lot. I wondered if I looked like that when I talked to my Wolvie.

"Or do yah need a few more minutes to talk?" I asked.

"Fuck no. In fact, he's about to lose his speaking privileges again." He unbuckled his seatbelt and grabbed his door handle, then stopped and growled, "Stay here."

I let go of the handle and stayed in my seat. I guess we weren't eating here after all. Maybe he just needed to meet someone here. I thought about what type of meetings usually went on in parking lots, but this didn't seem nearly dark or shady enough for the type of deals I saw on TV crime dramas. Logan opened my door, cutting off my thoughts. I blinked at him, then giggled when I realized what he was doing.

The silly man had opened my door for me.

I placed a hand against my chest and drawled, "Whah Ah do declarah! Ah'll make a Southern gentleman outtah yah, yet."

He rolled his eyes at me. "Just get outta the damn car."

I held my hand out and waited for him to take it. When he did, I used it for balance to climb out of his truck. I'd always managed fine before, but it was nice to have him there beside me. I didn't understand why men insisted on having trucks that were so big.

"Thank yah." I said.

Logan just answered with a grunt. I got the feeling that even though he had suddenly started being more talkative, he didn't really do touchy feely things like apologies and thank yous. He just pulled me along behind him, still holding my hand in his. I looked up at Outback and my footsteps started to slow. Logan stopped beside me and gave me a look.

"Is this where we're eating?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh, Ah..." This was so much nicer than the gas station I pictured. "Ah just..."

He scowled. "F'ya don't wanta eat here..."

"No, Ah really do! Ah jus' didn't really expect something so...nice." I quickly backpedaled.

"Told ya I wasn't taking ya to no dump like McDonalds, kid."

I didn't reply. That wasn't the way it sounded at the time. And this place was too close to the sort of thing my parents usually did for my birthday, and now they were gone. Or rather, I was.

"What, ya thought I wasn't taking ya anywhere?" He demanded when I didn't say anything.

"Well, yah said—"

"Well, I _meant—_"

"Shit Logan, Ah'm not a mindreader!" I blurted out.

I clapped my other hand over my mouth, and I could feel my face burning. I had _not_ meant to say that. I blamed Wolverine's bad influence.

_Who the fuck ya callin' bad influence, kit?_

"Neither am I, kid. So next time, ya gotta fucking tell me if ya don't understand the shit I say. Got it?" He asked.

I nodded silently, hand still over my mouth.

"Good. An' don't swear."

I dropped my hand and stared at my shoes. "Yes, Logan."

He still hadn't let go of my right hand, and I started to think he didn't plan to. Not that I wanted him to. I'd poked his chest and stuck my tongue out and swore at him, but he still held my hand. I didn't know why he bothered to put up with me. I half expected him to revert back to not talking to me, but he just dragged me up to the restaurant and even held the door open for me. He finally had to let go of my hand to do that, but as I walked in ahead of him, he slung his arm around my shoulders instead.

"How many?" A lady standing behind a podium asked us when he came in.

Logan didn't answer. He really wasn't a people person, so I spoke up instead. "Two, please."

"Alright, that'll be about a fifteen minute wait. And the name?" She asked.

"Logan."

Rogue wasn't exactly the sort of name I could give in a place like this, and Logan was the only person I told my real name. Maybe it was kind of stupid, but I wanted a clean break from my old life with no reminders. I only told Logan because after all he'd done for me, he deserved to know.

"Here you go, we'll call you when your table is ready." She said, holding out a buzzer to me.

Logan grabbed it instead and followed me to a bench. I sat down, leaving plenty of room beside me for him, but he just leaned against the wall. His hand still rested against my shoulder though, so I tried not to feel too put out. It probably wasn't even anything personal. He seemed like the type of person who got too restless to sit for too long anyway.

Of course, he could drive for hours without a problem, but maybe that was different and—

"Thank ya for takin' me here, sugah." I said, trying make the best of things and stop over thinking everything. "This was always mah favorite place to eat before—"

Before my parents kicked me out for being an abomination of God.

I looked at the ground and tried to focus on my breathing. Logan had taken me shopping and to a nice place for my birthday, and he was clearly trying really hard to make today special for me, and I was not going to ruin it by crying, and—

_Kit..._

I just needed to get it together before pe—

_Kit._

—ople started staring because it always mak—

_Kit!_

—es it worse when they just look at me like I'm a fre—

_KITLING!_

_What?! Can't yah see Ah'm trah-ing tah be calm an' rational!_

_Well, yer shit at it, kit._

Logan's hand smoothed over the back of my hand and made me forget the brilliant retort I had for Wolvie.

_Jest stop thinkin' so goddamn much and let Logan pet ya like a good little kitling._

His fingers dug into my hair on the next downward stroke, brushing against my scalp and tugging slightly. I practically melted like I had the last time, even as I struggled to form a coherent reply, but Wolvie beat me to it.

_Forget 'bout yer parents. Logan's gonna take care of ya now._

_Who takes care of Logan?_

_...Logan can take care'f himself. Why he's Alpha._

A sharp tug brought me out of my near-coma bliss, and I felt Logan lean down beside me so his mouth was right next to my ear. I was so out of it, I almost turned my head to nuzzle against his cheek—what would his muttonchops feel like?—before I caught myself. Should he be that close? Was it okay that I felt all warm and fuzzy? Did he want to tell me something important or wish me happy birthday?

"Gotta take a piss." He whispered.

Oh, wow. Thank you for sharing that profound wisdom with me, Logan. You should write Hallmark cards for young newlyweds, that was so special. I bit my lip to keep all of my smart-aleck replies to myself, but a giggle bubbled up and once it got loose, I started laughing so hard I almost fell off the bench.

"Go." I gasped in between giggles. "Ah promise Ah'll stay rahght here an' wait for yah."

Logan just gave me another grunt, which seemed to be his default method of communication. Along with plenty of growls and glares. I managed to stop my giggling and sit up, but not a minute after he disappeared into the men's room, a guy sat down on the bench next to me.

I wanted to tell him that space was reserved, but that wasn't entirely true since Logan wasn't actually sitting there anyway. I subtly shifted away from him and shoved my hands inside my jacket pockets. Why had I left my gloves in the truck? Sure, they weren't absolutely necessary as long as I could keep calm, but I should still know better than that by now. Was it my imagination, or was the guy scooting closer to me? I swore I could feel his scarf brush against me even through my jacket.

"Hey." He said.

Dammit, of course he would try to talk to me. I just kind of hummed and nodded, hoping he would take the hint and go away or at least sit quietly.

"My name's Daren. What's yours?"

No such luck. And I couldn't exactly ignore a direct question like that, so I turned my head just enough to look at him.

"Rogue." I mumbled.

He leaned a bit closer and grinned at me. I tried not to be too obvious about how quickly I recoiled against the far side of the bench.

_Ya need help, kit? Jest yell for Logan, he'll put the little shit back into his place._

"What kind of name is Rogue?" He asked.

_Ah got this._

"Mine." I replied a bit more firmly than before.

"Fair enough, _Rogue._" He gave me a wink like we were sharing some sort of inside joke. "Why don't you join me and my friends at the bar and tell me a bit about yourself."

Goddammit. Why couldn't people just leave me alone? I didn't even know why he was so interested in me. If he could sit at the bar, he must be twenty-one, and I knew I didn't look old enough for him to think we were the same age. What a sleaze.

"I'm a mutant with toxic skin that will put you in a coma if you touch me."

And just like that, I saw the glint in his eyes shut down as he began to scoot away from me.

"I uh...I think I hear my uh...friends calling...me." He stuttered.

He practically jumped off the bench and nearly ran into Logan, who I just now noticed standing in front of us. Logan sent him running away even faster with a snarl that let us both get a good look at his extended canines. Daren couldn't get away fast enough, and I mentally sneered at him. So much for his smooth and friendly attitude.

Logan looked back at me, and I gave him a sad smile. "Think Ah scared 'im more, sugah."

The words had barely left my mouth before Logan pulled me up, then immediately yanked me back down into his lap. I pressed against him as close as I could, grateful I at least had somebody who cared and wasn't afraid of me.

"Ya want me to strangle him with that fucking scarf?" Logan growled.

I smiled against his shirt and hoped he didn't notice. Logan probably meant that in a completely literal way, but instead of scaring me, it just made me feel safe. I had almost sucked that redneck with a gun dry to protect him, however misguided I had been, and it only felt right that he would go to the same extremes to protect me. But even though knowing he would do that for me made me selfishly happy, I didn't actually want Logan to get into any trouble or put blood on his hands for my sake.

"No...be a waste of a perfectly good scarf. Ah like scarves." I mumbled into his shirt.

_Fuck, kit. Yer such a vicious little thing._

"How 'bout I take the scarf off first, then gut'im."

_Ah can't help it. An' Ah really don't want to get Logan in trouble, so Ah can tone it down some..._

"Nah sugah. Stupid boy ain't worth the blood stains."

_Fuck no! That was a goddamn compliment!_

I smiled again, briefly, and took a deep breath in. I hadn't ever really been this close to Logan, not counting this morning. That had all been too fast for me to really pay attention to the little things, like how he smelled like cigars and diesel fuel. In any other situation, the smell would have been awful, but it just suited him so perfectly that I didn't even mind.

I took another deep breath. "Wolvie says he don't mind Ah'm so mean, but do yah?"

"You call him _Wolvie_?!" He demanded.

Wolverine had never protested, and I didn't know if Logan was really upset about that or not, so I just kept quiet.

"An' no, ya—yer a good kid, Marie." He said eventually.

"Mah Aunt Martha always said Ah was spiteful." I mumbled.

"Was she fat?"

I raised my head. "How'd yah know?"

"Her name is Martha, and she's probably a cunt."

"Yeah, she kinda is." I giggled for a second, but my mood quickly caught back up with me, and I snuggled back into his chest. "But she's rahght."

I heard a low growl like Logan wanted to disagree, but I couldn't stand to hear him give me some crap about what a good person I was. He took care of me, but he really didn't know a damn thing about me.

"When mah parents told me tah be gone bah the morning..." I had to stop and take another deep breath before I could continue. "Ah took all the lahght bulbs and the spark plugs from their car 'cause Ah wanted them tah sit at home, in the dark, and _miss me_, dammit!"

I didn't know what Logan would say to that, and I never got the chance to find out. The buzzer in Logan's head lit up and did its buzzing thing, and Wolverine howled in my mind, showing me half remembered glimpses of awful metal devices and explosions. The images swirled together with his howls in my head, and the second hand panic started to overwhelm me...

* * *

**A/N: Heeeyyyyyyyy guys...so about Wednesday...see the thing is...the way my bank account is set up...I have a checkings and a savings (cookies to you if you got that reference). So yeah, I didn't update on Wednesday like I should have, but I was on vacation, and I really didn't feel like writing. I only got the chapter for BBW done early because it's my favorite. Sorry guys.**

**But I'm back, and I promise missing updates will NOT be a regular thing! So thanks a bunch for coming back and all your reviews about which voice you liked best!**

**Who's pumped to see the new Wolverine movie?**


	10. Chocolate Confections

Disjointed images of labs and helicopters and explosions filled my mind as Wolverine roared at me to get behind Logan. He would take the brunt of the explosion, and I would survive, but I needed to move, move, MOVE right this fucking inst—

I shifted in Logan's lap so that I straddled him instead and cupped his face in my hands. "It's not going to explode!"

_Wolvie, calm down, yah have to calm down!_

"It's alrahght, Logan. The buzzing jus' means our table is ready." I whispered.

People had started to look our way when Logan set me in his lap, and now that I was straddling him, they outright stared at us. I ignored them the best I could and rubbed my thumbs in circles along Logan's muttonchops, concentrating on calming him down. Maybe if I could get through to him, my Wolverine would follow his lead. I looked into his eyes until the gold faded, and I felt his jaw unclench beneath my hands.

My bare hands, that he hadn't even flinched from.

"Logan, table for two?"

Logan looked a lot less freaked now, and Wolvie had abruptly faded to absolute silence. I decided the best thing I could do was just act like nothing out of the ordinary had happened, nothing to see here, move along people. Logan got up just behind me and slung his arm around my shoulders as we followed the hostess to our table. People were whispering all around us, but I kept my head held high with Southern pride.

Until I spotted Daren and his friends at bar. They looked over at us and snickered like seventh graders, then suddenly turned pale and found their drinks very interesting. I looked up at Logan, but he was staring straight ahead. He couldn't quite pull off the innocent look though. I doubted he had been innocent a single day in his life and had to fight down another blush at the thought.

The hostess asked if a table was okay, and Logan said something that got us a booth instead. They said a bit more, the usual "your server will be right with you," but I wasn't paying attention. I searched my head, seeking out Wolverine's voice. I had never deliberately gone looking for one of the voices in my head, never thought not hearing one could cause such panic.

_Wolverine...? Wolvie...please don't leave..._

_...I'm here, kit. Sorry I scared ya, kit._

His voice sounded almost sheepish, but at least I could hear his voice again. _It's fahne, Wolvie. Not yeh fault._

I could tell he wasn't convinced, but he didn't argue either. And I still needed to make things right with Logan. He hadn't asked for me to dump my sob story on him like that, especially right before the birthday dinner he was giving me.

"Ah'm sorry."

"What?"

"Yeh doing something really nice for meh, and Ah'm jus' sitting here feeling sorry for mahself. Ah don't know what's wrong with meh today." I said.

And I meant it, really. It wasn't Logan's fault at all that I was getting all emotional over this being my first birthday since my parents kicked me out. And maybe I had started the day out hoping to just get it over with, but I really did appreciate the new clothes, and I loved Outback.

"Not a damn thing."

I had gotten so caught up in my own thoughts that it took me several seconds to register what Logan said. And then I just stared at him blankly.

"What?"

"There's not a damn thing wrong with ya, kid."

And to my eternal horror, my brilliant response was to start crying. The emotional stress of the day caught up with me, triggered by such an impossibly sweet statement. He didn't even say it like he was trying to be nice, he just acted like it was a plain fact.

"Kid, Marie...don't..."

Finally I pulled myself out of my teenage angst to notice how distressed Logan looked at my sudden crying fit.

"No, no." I mumbled, pulling my hand away from my mouth and attempting to regain some of my composure. "Ah'm okay, Ah'm sorry, Ah'm jus'...Ah think that's the nah-cest thing anyone's evah said tah meh."

"Damn kid, what kinda shit people ya been around?" Logan growled.

I winced. "Mah parents were religious."

"Oh."

I had to laugh at his immediate look of disgust when I said religious. At least I wouldn't have to worry about him dragging me to church services.

"Yeah. Oh." I repeated, mimicking his sneer.

A waiter appeared, interrupting our conversation. "Hi, my name is Jeremy, I'll be your server, and I—oh, are you alright, miss?"

"Ah'm fine. Allergy season, yah know?" I said, hoping he would just drop it.

"Oh yeah. I mean, I don't know, but I have friends who have allergies. If you want, I can see if I can find you some Benedryl or—"

"She said she's fine." Logan cut in with a growl.

I tried to concentrate on keeping my smile in place. I heard once that when you smiled, it released some sort of chemicals in your brain that mimicked happiness. So you could literally fake it until you made it. At least Jeremy had turned to address Logan instead, giving me some much appreciated time to pull myself together.

I heard Logan dig into the poor kid about the lack of Molson's, but I was too far gone into my quiet place to really pay attention. My quiet place didn't have any particular features, just empty whiteness extending in all directions. Like a blank canvas. Wolverine trotted over to where I sat and laid his head in my lap but didn't say anything. I idly scratched behind his ears and focused on just breathing for a bit.

"And you, miss?"

Jeremy's voice brought me back, but I had left all my sadness in that quiet place, where it couldn't hurt me. It was just another sad painting in my head, and I smiled like it had never even happened in the first place.

"Ah'll have an ah-ced tea, with a slah-ce of lemon, please." I ordered.

Well, alright. Perhaps my accent gave it away, but my drawl always did get thicker when I got emotional.

"Yeah, I'll have that right out." Jeremy said, practically running away from our table.

Maybe I should have paid more attention to what Logan said to him. But then again, it didn't take much from Logan to scare people, and he used it to his advantage. Too bad for him I knew he had a gummy bear soft center.

"Yah could jus' bah a cooler an' keep a pack of Molson's in there." I remarked.

I just wanted to keep the conversation going. It helped keep me focused on Logan and food and happy things. Logan didn't answer though, so I looked up at him to see what was wrong. He looked like he'd just been struck by lightning, eyes wide and mouth slightly hanging open. I laughed again, and this time it sounded almost real. He recovered pretty quickly and grinned at me.

"You want your own thing?" He asked me, eyeing the menus laying on our table.

I just hummed and picked up a menu. I usually just ate off of his plate since he ordered enough to feed enough to feed a herd of elephants. But he'd probably want steak, which wasn't really my thing. The baby back ribs actually looked really good, and they came with Aussie fries.

"Ah figured yah'd get steak..." I waited for Logan to nod, then continued. "But Ah'm thinking 'bout the baby back ribs. That alrahght?"

"Get whatever. S'your birthday." Logan said, shrugging.

I gave him a grateful smile and glanced back at the menu to be sure of my choice. I started fiddling with Logan's tags with my free hand, and when I look back up at him, he was staring.

"Yah don't mind, do yah? 'Cause Ah can jus' keep 'em somewhere else if ya—"

Logan's growl interrupted me as I started to take the tags off. A similar growl echoed in my head from Wolvie, and I slowly lowered the tags back to my neck.

_Yer ours, kitling. We marked ya._

Marked. Like Logan wanted everyone who saw me to know I was his pack-mate. The thought almost put another smile on my face.

"Or Ah could keep them on." I said.

Logan winced. "Shit kid, I didn't meanta snarl at ya like that."

"No, Ah..." I shook my head and stopped to think. "When people get angry, they say mean things. Yah've yelled an' growled some, but yah ain't never been cruel. Yeh a lot better than yah think."

Before Logan had a chance to reply, if he was going to reply, Jeremy reappeared at our table.

"One iced tea with a lice of lemon and one um, water. Here's your bread, sorry for the delay." He said, setting our drinks and a hot loaf of bread in front of us.

I double checked my menu, as if the food available would change. I guess it was just one of those things people did in restaurants, like needlessly pointing at the description when they ordered.

"Ah think we're ready to order now." I said slowly, looking back up to check with Logan. "Right, sugah?"

Logan grinned at me. "Yeah."

"Alright, what can I get for you?" Jeremy asked.

"Steak."

We both waited for him to elaborate, and he stared back at us. Between making the reservation and thinking the buzzer would explode, I got the sense that this wasn't the type of place Logan usually ate at, if he had ever ate at a nice restaurant like this before.

"He'll have the..." I paused and did the pointing thing, unable to help myself. "...eight ounce rib-ah steak...hmm...medium rare. Yah want a sah-de?"

"Can I get more steak?" He asked, completely serious.

I mimicked his earlier grin. "No, sugah. Alrahght if Ah steal it then?"

"S'fine."

I looked over my options until something caught my eye. "A sweet potato with honey butter an' brown sugah."

Score!

"And do you want soup or salad?" Jeremy asked, scribbling in his notebook.

"Fuck if I care, I just want my goddamn steak." Logan huffed.

"Please ignore him. He jus' gets a bit cranky without his Molson's." I cut in before poor Jeremy started crying. "The Ceasar salad will be fahne. An' Ah'll have the baby back ribs."

"I'll have that right out." Jeremy squeaked.

I almost managed to feel sorry for him, but then I had bread, and I kind of just forgot. Logan could have been more polite, but from the way Wolvie behaved in my head, I thought the lack of mauling meant he actually did fairly well. Especially if this was his first time out in a nice restaurant. I finished my bread, but Logan didn't really seem inclined to talk anymore. Maybe he just needed a little break from how "talkative" he had been lately.

I started fiddling with my straw out of boredom and tore the end off of the wrapper. I bit back a childish grin and pun the exposed end of the straw in my mouth, pretending it was a cigarette. Logan always smelled like smoke, but I had yet to actually catch him smoking. Maybe he just manufactured the smell from his sheer levels of testosterone. I giggled at the thought, and the air I exhaled blew the wrapper off the straw.

And it smacked into Logan's forehead. Direct hit. He gaped at me in a perfect expression of utter shock. I tried desperately to smother another fit of the giggles, but his slack jawed expression was too much. I dissolved into laughter that shook my whole body and tipped over sideways in my booth while he glared and huffed at me. When I sat back up, he had his arms crossed.

"Ah am so sorry, sugah." I whispered, nearly choking on my barely suppressed laughter.

"Liar." He pouted.

He tried to glare at me after that, but the sight of him pouting just made me grin, although I did manage to stop giggling. Then we somehow ended up in an impromptu staring contest, which wasn't fair in the slightest, because his dark hazel eyes were just too intense to look away from.

"Does he still talk to ya?" He asked.

I looked away. I didn't have to ask who "he" was. But I nodded and tried to practice my sounding casual voice.

"A lot. He hasn't faded like the...um, the others."

I didn't really mind talking about Wolverine because he was a voice that we both shared, and I actually—selfishly—thought that was really cool. I'd never met anyone before who knew what it was like to have a voice in your head.

"Sorry, kid. If he's been sayin'..." Logan trailed off and cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"He doesn't talk about yah." I rushed to reassure him, shaking my head emphatically. "Not 'bout any of yah memories, yah family or women...nothin'. An' Ah don't ask. Ah won't evah...if yah want me tah know, yah'll tell meh."

Logan didn't reply. But since he had brought up the subject of Wolverine, I had a question of my own that I'd been dying to ask.

"Do Ah...Ah know yah said yah wouldn't leave, but...he still knows we're pack mates, rahght?" I asked.

"Yeah."

_Course we're still fuckin' pack mates, kit._

I breathed a sigh of relief and realized I had been gripping his tags without even knowing it.

"Did he say something...different?" Logan asked.

His question surprised me, and I looked at him for a moment before I answered. "No, it's jus'...mah Wolverine is different from yeh Wolverine, an' Ah don't know what yeh Wolverine is thinking."

"Your Wolverine?" He leaned forward and studied me, and I tried not to flush under his stare.

"They ain't the same."

He kept the same blank stare on his face, and I tried to think of how to explain it to him.

"Ah got mah Wolvie when Ah touched yah back. But it's not lahke Ah can read yah mahnd, an' mah Wolvie can't talk to yahs. So if something changes in yah head, if yah Wolvie thinks something different, mah Wolvie won't know an' neither will Ah." I paused, then repeated, "They ain't the same."

I hoped that made it a bit clearer for him, because that was the best explanation I could come up with. Jeremy came back to our table, once again cutting off any reply Logan might have made. He at least came carrying food though, even if it was only a salad. He tried to set it next to Logan, who eyed it the same way some people might look at a wet dog turd. I commandeered it, gave Jeremy a brief nod, then dug in. It had to be six already, and I hadn't eaten all day. Logan sat in his booth and brooded while I ate, which was fine with me since I was too busy stuffing my face to carry a conversation anyway.

I did still want to keep up his newfound talkative-ness, so when I was done, I asked, "So why do yah lahke hockey?"

"'Cause it ain't a pussy sport."

Oh. Well then. I blushed, but I was really starting to like talking to him, especially about simple things that didn't have to do with feelings and voices and birthdays.

"Lahhhke...?" I questioned, trying to draw him further into the conversation.

He shrugged. "Soccer. Baseball. Nascar."

"Football?"

All I got for that question was an indifferent grunt. Time to try a new tactic.

"Whatcha got against Nascar?" I asked.

"It ain't a sport and driving in circles ain't that hard." He replied.

"Baseball?"

"Nothing fuckin' happens."

"It's American!" I protested.

"I'm Canadian." He deadpanned.

I blushed. You learn something new everyday, I guess. But I didn't really peg Logan as a Canadian. Frankly, I had heard they were supposed to be really nice.

I tried again. "Okay, soccer then."

"Same. And the players are all pussies."

Oh wow, what an enlightening answer. "How?"

"In soccer...players pretend to have injuries. In hockey, they pretend they don't." He explained.

"Lahke that one man who kept playing with a concussion?" I asked, feeling proud of myself for remembering.

He nodded. "Yeah. What are ya always sketching, anyway?"

SHIT. No no no, he couldn't find out about the three whole sketchbooks I had filled with nothing but drawings of him. Mayday, mayday! Abort mission, I repeat, ABORT MISSION!

Jeremy appeared just in time, bringing our food with him. Logan's eyes immediately went to the steak, and all mention of my creeper sketchbooks was forgotten the moment he got it in front of him. I got my ribs and fries and even slid his potato over to my side as well. I almost cried again at the sight of all that beautiful food. And yet, all Logan had was his one steak. I suddenly felt a bit guilty about stealing his side and pushed my plate closer to him.

"If yah want some of mah ribs, we can share. Ah already took yah salad an' sweet potato." I offered.

"Eat what ya want. I'll eat what ya can't." He muttered, already eyeing his next bite of steak.

I smiled and pulled my plate back. Halfway through our meal though, I noticed Logan at the bread like he was trying to figure something out.

"Yah want something, sugah?" I asked.

"Fluffy not-meat." He grunted.

I blinked at him. "...the bread?"

He got really still, so I took pity on him and cut him a slice.

"Here, sugah." I smiled at him when I gave the slice of bread to him, trying to keep things light. "Is that how you see things? Meat, not-meat, an'..."

_Leafy shit. _Wolvie sneered at the remains of my salad in disgust.

"...leafy shit?"

"Yeah."

"What about sweet stuff?" I asked.

When he didn't reply, I tried one more time, still smiling at him, desperately trying to keep the mood playful.

"Do you like dessert?"

"D'you?" He countered.

"Hell yeah!"

He grinned at me, and I pretended to clear my throat while I thought of how to rephrase that in a more lady-like manner.

"Ah mean...whah yes, Ah do quah-te enjoy chocolate confections." I murmured in my best demure Southern belle voice.

Logan just stared at me blankly and went back to eating. I looked down at my food and tried not to feel too sickly embarrassed. He probably thought I was being stupid and childish or something.

_He doesn't think that about ya. He probably jest doesn't know what confections are._

_But—_

_Look at'im, kit. Dumbass barely knows how to use a goddamn fork. I guarantee he ain't in no position to judge ya fer being "stupid."_

_Yeh so mean, Wolvie._ I repeated for the hundredth time. He just snorted.

Logan ended up eating all of his steak and part of my ribs. I was pretty full myself, but I'd been eyeing the dessert menu all night, and I figured I had room for just a little more...

"You want some dessert, kid?" Logan asked me.

Oh thank God he brought it up so I didn't have to ask for it and look fat.

"Yeah! Is there anything yah want?"

"Nah."

"But they have this chocolate cake thing, an'-" I tried to explain.

Logan cut me off. "Ain't you ever heard you're not supposed to give dogs chocolate?"

"Oh. Lahke...ever?" I whispered in horror.

"Don't like it anyway." He replied.

"What?" I gasped.

"I don't like chocolate."

"What?"

"I don't like—"

"What?"

"I do—"

"What?"

"Kid. Stop." He demanded.

I paused and remembered to breathe. "Sorry...Ah...How? Yah poor...Ah'm so sor—nevah...Ah can't..._What_?"

"You like chocolate?"

I tried to laugh casually, like his question was no big deal, but I ended up nearly hyperventilating halfway through.

"Do yah lahke hockey? Molson's? Steak? Put it all together an' add some sex an' sprinkle it with cocaine, an' yes Logan, Ah lahke chocolate." I finally managed to answer.

Logan grinned at me. "Then tell waiter boy to get you that chocolate cake thing."

I looked around, but Jeremy was busy waiting on another table. "I don't know...Jeremy looks really busy."

Logan made the sharpest whistle I'd ever heard, and Jeremy jumped nearly a foot in the air. I tried to feel sorry for him instead of smile at his reaction. Logan motioned for him to come here, and he ran over to our table.

"Um, yes sir?" He asked.

Logan just looked at me, and Jeremy glanced over in my direction too. I kept my smile plastered on and hoped it looked friendly instead of slightly mocking.

"Can Ah have the Chocolate Thundah from Down Undah?" I asked, doing the pointy thing again at the desert menu.

Jeremy promised to have it out soon and took our plates when he left. Logan and I sat in a semi-awkward silence for a few moments before I got impatient and broke it.

"So yah can't have any of that?" I asked, just to be sure.

"Yeah."

"Good, 'cause Ah ain't sharin'." Then I realized what a brat I sounded like and winced. "Ah mean..."

Logan just grinned. "S'fine kid. Your birthday an' all."

I gave him a grateful smile back and listed off my favorite desserts, just to avoid the awkward silence again. Logan didn't contribute much, but he didn't tell me to shut up either. I had just got done explaining what a Mississippi mud pie was when Jeremy came back with my cake. The conversation died then, and I'm pretty sure Logan might have been staring at me while I ate my dessert, but I was to far gone in chocolate heaven to care. When I finally looked up, plate scraped completely clean, he was staring off into space.

"Logan?"

His eyes focused on me first, and I inclined my head slightly at Jeremy, who stood waiting with the checkbook. Logan took it and opened it, and I suddenly had a miniature panic attack about what he might expect. If he'd never been here before, did he have an idea of how much this was going to cost? But he just whipped out a wad of bills as thick as my fist and put a few in the book right there. Usually people waited for the waiter to leave before they dealt with the bill like that, another one of those nice restaurant things that didn't really make sense.

But Logan just shoved the checkbook back at Jeremy and stood up, practically knocking over the poor boy. I tried to gracefully slide out of my booth the way he had, but it turned into more of a flailing sideways flop as I tried to scoot sideways, and Logan had to come to my rescue and yank me out.

"Ready, kid?" He asked, pulling me against him.

I just squeezed his hand and nodded, too embarrassed to really say anything. He let go of my hand, and I felt a surge of disappointment until he slung his arm over my shoulder instead and guided me away from the table. We passed by the bar again, where Daren and his friends still sat, looking pretty drunk at this point, far too drunk for an Outback at least.

"...her date or her dad?" One of them slurred.

Logan half turned back around with a snarl, but this night had actually turned out really nice, and I didn't want it to get ruined by fight. Even if it would be immensely satisfying to watch him break their faces. I shoved that thought down though and tugged on his arm until he walked out the door with me. He practically radiated anger, and I clutched his waist nervously.

"People say mean things." I mumbled.

"People are shit." He agreed.

"Not alluv 'em."

I gave him a quick one armed hug, but he pulled me closer, so I slipped my other arm around him too.

"Thanks for the birthday, Logan." I whispered to his chest.

"Welcome."

**A/N: Okay, confession time: I waited until the last minute to write this and it felt like it took forever. That's what I get for procrastinating though.**

**If you haven't heard from my author's note in BBW, I GOT PUPPIES! There's a boy and a girl, they're seven weeks old, and were abandoned in a field. If you want to see pictures of their adorable cuteness, you can visit my blog at morganofthefey . wordpress . com.**

**Also, be extra certain to check in on BBW's next chapter on Monday so you can appreciate all its smutty goodness! I'll put up a sneak preview of it on my blog Thursday...**


	11. Pikachu, I Choose You!

"Logan?" I leaned out the truck window, watching him pump gas.

"Yeah?" He grunted.

"Can I run across the street?"

He looked over, then back at me. "Whatcha need at a pawn shop, kid?"

"The sign says books. I'll just be right over there. I won't even go inside."

He didn't say anything, so I cheated and gave him The Look.

"Please, Logan?" I asked.

"I better be able to see you at all times, you got it kid?" He tried to act tough, like he hadn't just caved.

"Yes, Logan." I replied in my best good girl voice.

He grunted and opened my door, helping me out of the truck. He'd started doing that ever since my birthday, and it made me smile every time. I knew he wasn't the type to do something like that normally, and I felt special. I gave him a quick hug before I ran off, only slowing down to check both ways before I crossed the street.

There were several other large pickup trucks parked near the pawn shop, which had bars on the windows. It wasn't exactly a welcoming sight, and had no ideas of going back on promise. I stayed outside the shop, just browsing through the tables set up on the outside, underneath a grimy pavilion that had barely staved off the recent snow. I opened the box next to the sign and sighed grimly when I saw that most of the books were warped and water damaged. What would possess the owner to just leave them out in the snow like this?

One title caught my eye, A Hard Knight, written in loopy script. I always was a sucker for a good pun, so I pulled it out and read the back cover.

_Forced by her family to give up the newborn son she had out of wedlock, Elaine faked her death in order to search for him. But she finds only the charred ashes of the monastery he was sent to. Her only hope is that she didn't find his body, and he had been adopted before the fire. Unable to give up her search, she poses as a peasant boy and healer in order to safely travel in medieval Britain. But when the wounded knight she healed in exchange for food turns out to be the bastard Prince Mordred, she gets more than she bargained for...and a clue to her son's true whereabouts._

My heart clenched. A mother searching for her abandoned child hit...well, it hit close to home. Right at my home actually, or more accurately, lack thereof. And I loved historical fiction. I flipped the book over to look at its price sticker and nearly dropped it when I saw the cover. I guess Mordred really was a...ahem..._hard_ knight. And I don't mean tough. Although he did look that too, with his broad shoulders and cut abs and erm, broadsword. And weren't knights supposed to wear armor or at least...clothes?

Plus, I was pretty sure Logan's muscles were bigger. Wolvie snickered in my head.

"Nice choice, sweetie."

I jumped about a foot and whirled around, while at the same time trying desperately shove the book back into the box and out of sight. A large man loomed in front of me, so tall I had to crane my neck to look up at him.

"Ah-Ah was jus' lookin'." I stuttered.

"If it's a big ole man you wanna look at, sweetie...I gotcha." He leered, taking a step closer.

I took a step back, practically sitting on the table. His arms did look pretty big...but then again, so did his stomach. He looked like a bear that was only just squeezed into human form, and I didn't like the way he said that last part. Wolverine was in full agreement, snarling at the man and ordering me to call for Logan. I opened my mouth, but another voice cut me off.

"Back the fuck off, bub. She's with me."

I broke away from the table and ran to Logan, slipping behind him. I probably could have run away from the creep on my own or at the very least, hit him with a jolt of poison skin, but I really didn't want his voice in my head. And Logan looked so good standing there in his leather jacket, chomping on an unlit cigar, just when I needed him.

"Hey, like the girl said, I was just looking." The creepy bear man said.

"Yo, Sid. You got a problem?" Another man asked, stepping out of a pick up truck.

"Naw. Got a real pretty sweetheart. 'Cept little man here says she's his." Sid replied.

The other man walked over from our left, blocking the way back to the truck. Wolverine growled at me to back up and let Logan handle them until the coast was clear for me to make a run for it.

"That a fact? Huh. Guess we should teach him a lesson."

I tugged on Logan's sleeve. "Want meh tah hold yah jacket, sugah? Blood doesn't come outtah leather real easy."

Logan looked down at me and raised an eyebrow, then shrugged out of his jacket. I grabbed it and followed Wolverine's advice, backing up slowly and keeping Logan between me and the other men.

"Lookit that! Little man thinks he's tou—"

Logan stepped forward and straight kicked the man in the balls. He doubled over, and Logan punched him to the ground, then caught Sid's arm before his punch could land. My butt hit another table, and I turned around, looking across the table and hoping to find a knife or something on sale in case one of them made it over here—

_Not gonna fuckin' happen, kit._

Or if there was a third one. Wolverine stayed silent in agreement at that, and I grabbed at the first silver gleam I saw buried among the junk, but all I pulled out was an old gameboy. Someone screamed behind me, and I started to turn and look, but then the game cartridges caught my eye. They had the original Yellow, where you got Pikachu as your starter.

_The fuck kitling?! Make sure there's no one else and get yer ass back to the truck!_

I looked up and around the parking lot, but I didn't see any other creeps. I heard a crack from behind me and turned around to see Logan twisting one of the guy's arms at an angle that just seemed wrong, then shove him to the ground. The other man tackled him, and they both went down, but once they were on the ground, the larger man didn't have a height advantage anymore. Logan flipped them over in seconds and started slugging him in the face.

_See Wolvie? Logan clearly has this covered._

_From now on, ya carry yer goddamn knife on ya, not jest in ya backpack._

_Agreed._

I grabbed the cartridge and rooted through the table to see if there were any more games, keeping a careful hold on Logan's jacket. I found Red and Blue, but nothing else. The gameboy was twenty bucks and the games were marked as five dollars each. Thirty five dollars wouldn't be too much, right? And then I'd have something to do while Logan went out, because frankly, it got kind of boring sometimes.

Several loud thumps and what sounded like metal bending, and when I turned back around, the two jerks were both on the ground and their truck had several head sized dents in it. Logan had blood on his knuckles and splattered on his shirt, so it was a good thing I took his jacket. I'd have to wash his shirt and probably his wife beater too. His eyes gleamed, almost entirely golden.

I walked over and picked his cigar off the ground, then handed it and his jacket to him. He shrugged his jacket on and put the cigar in an inside pocket. One of the guys started to twitch, and Logan casually turned and kicked him in the head. When he turned back, I hugged him, carefully avoiding the blood stains. He kept his hands at his sides and didn't hug me back.

_His blood's still up, kit. Give Logan a moment to come back._

_Should I stop?_

_No, there's still a lotta me in his eyes. I like it when ya touch me. It'll calm him down to know yer safe._

I nuzzled into his neck and Logan...or maybe it was Wolverine...growled softly in approval. His hands stayed at his sides though. I could hear his heart thumping loudly and quickly in his chest. Finally, it slowed and he hugged me back. When I lifted my head, his eyes were hazel again. He dropped his hands, and I stepped back while he cleared his throat.

"Whatcha got there, kid?" He asked, voice deep and husky.

"I found a gameboy!" I said, unable to keep from grinning excitedly.

"The fuck kid?! Yer too goddamn young fer that shit!" He growled.

I gaped at him. "What?"

He grabbed the gameboy out of my hands and examined the screen, then mashed a few buttons. When it didn't turn on, he glared at me and pointed at the screen.

"Is this where ya watch the porn?" He demanded.

"Watch the..."

In desperate confusion, I turned to Wolvie in my mind and just barely skimmed over his thoughts to figure out what was going on. He reluctantly provided images of busty, scantily clad or even naked young women strutting around wearing bunny ears. He thought my gameboy was a _playboy_.

The thought was too much, and my jaw dropped even lower even as a blush worked its way across my face. A laugh threatened to get out, but all I could make for several seconds was a choked noise. Then it broke free, and I started laughing so hard I couldn't keep my eyes open. Logan was just too adorable—like a grumpy old man who didn't know how to work a computer.

"Is...is this where...you watch...the porn?" I gasped out through my laughter.

Logan growled at me, his face the perfect picture of angry, suspicious confusion. It only made the situation funnier, and I had to grab onto him to keep from collapsing completely. He let me hold on, but kept up the low growl until I finally managed to straighten back up and calm down.

"No, Logan. That's...a gameboy. What you're thinking of...is a _play_boy. Totally different." I said, still giggling a bit.

He frowned and examined the gameboy again, then looked back up at me. I thought I saw a hint of a blush across his cheeks, but his muttonchops were so big it was hard to tell.

I giggled again. "You're so cute, Logan."

"I just beat the ever-lovin' shit outta these two, and I'd like to get going before the cops get here. Just...take yer damn...thing." He snapped, shoving the gameboy back in my hands.

"It's a gameboy, sugah. An' yah know that bah cute, Ah meant, manly as hell." I said, smiling up at him.

He snorted and grabbed my waist, opening the door and guiding me into the pawn shop. We didn't make it very far though. The moment we stepped in, the owner started yelling at us.

"I already called the cops, and they'll be here in ten minutes! Get out of here!" He shouted, cringing back behind the counter.

"Aw, fuck. C'mon, kid." Logan growled.

"But—"

"Get back, I have pepper spray!" The owner screamed.

Logan shoved me back out the door, and I didn't protest this time. Guess the thirty five dollars wouldn't be a problem after all. Logan kept his hand around my waist and a steady pace as we walked back to the truck. We were out of the town in seven minutes, but I was too busy trying to capture a Pidgey to pay attention. When the pokeball wiggled three times and let it go, I swear I nearly punched out the window.

"You alright there, kid?" Logan asked.

"Ah'm. Having. Fun." I snarled through gritted teeth and threw another ball.

"You don't look like you're having fun."

The ball stopped after the second wiggle and the Pidgey escaped.

"Yah don't even know what fun is!" I shouted.

Logan looked over at me and narrowed his eyes. "Ya wanna rethink that fuckin' tone, kid?"

I blushed and winced, instantly apologetic. "Ah'm sorry. Ah jus' get...competitive."

He raised an eyebrow. "Better...what's your game about?"

"Well, you get a starter Pokemon and you use it to capture other, wild Pokemon and—"

"The fuck are Pokemen?"

I just looked at him, and he stared blankly back. I felt like Logan was the type of person that if I told him to open a window on the computer, he would get up and open an actual window. In short, there was no hope.

"Uhh...never mind. Jus'...I'm..." A thought clicked, and I went with it. "I'm hunting things and trying to catch them. But it's not working out very well for me right now."

"Try setting a trap." He suggested.

"No, Logan. Yah can't...it's not like..." I trailed off and stared at him in pity.

"I'm never gonna understand this, am I?"

"...probably not."

He grunted and looked back at the road. "Just keep it down over there."

I nodded and went back to my gameboy. A moment later, the guilt got to me and I looked back at Logan and hugged him.

"Thanks, sugah. Ah'll wash yeh shirts at the motel."

He shifted and wrapped his arm around me. "Ya don't mind...uh..."

I knew saying something or looking at him wasn't going to help, so I just stayed quiet and waited.

"I can get pretty violent." He muttered.

Now I looked up at him. "They would've ended up like that anyway, except Ah would've had their voices in mah head. Yah saved me from that."

"I fight in cages too, kid. And that don't have a reason."

"It's who yah are." I replied.

He glanced down at me, and I shrugged.

"No one forces the other guys in the cage." I said.

He tightened his grip on me and we sat like that for a moment before he let me go. I smiled at him and returned to the game, still wading through the grass to catch a lvl 4 Pidgey.

* * *

I woke up to the sound of Logan moaning. He sounded like he was in pain, and I flopped over to look at him. His eyes were screwed shut, his lips drawn back in a snarl.

"Logan."

He didn't wake up, just moaned again.

"C'mon, Logan."

When he didn't respond, I put my hand on his shoulder and shook him gently. He made a choked noise in the back of his throat.

"Yeh alrahght, sugah. Yah jus' gotta wake up."

He stirred and made a confused noise, and I shook him harder.

"Jus' wake up, Logan."

He finally did wake up, gasping for air. He raised his head, took one look at me, and bolted for the bathroom. The door slammed shut behind him, and seconds later I heard another muffled choking noise. I wondered if he was throwing up and felt a pang of sympathy. I pretty much hadn't had a bad nightmare since I started traveling with him, and I was pretty sure he and Wolvie were to thank for that, but I could still remember how bad they could get.

Logan stayed in there for nearly ten minutes, and I struggled to stay awake for him. But when he came out, he had that look in his eyes, and he didn't answer for a long time when I asked him if he was staying or going.

"Kid."

He stopped again, like he wasn't sure where to go from there. I scooted over on the bed and smiled at him, trying to reassure him.

"Yah _can_ stay, Logan." I said.

He walked over, but he crouched down in front of me instead of sitting next to me.

"I'm kinda fucked up right now, kid."

I didn't say anything about that. We both had our problems, and I could wait for him to work out what he needed to say.

"But I'll stay if ya want."

I couldn't keep quiet at that though, and my smile widened, but he cut me off before I could say yes.

"There've gotta be some rules though."

He stopped again and gave me a serious look, so I nodded to let him know I was listening, even if I didn't understand yet.

"I'm gonna sleep in that bed for the rest of the night, and yer gonna stay in yers. No showerin' together in the morning, either. Ain't nothing ya done, I just don't want to hurtcha." He said.

I frowned. "Yah wouldn't hurt meh."

"I ain't gonna take that risk." He growled.

"But—"

"Those are the rules, Marie. Either ya play by 'em or I gotta go."

I looked down and glared at my hands. This still felt like he was leaving again, just more slowly. He always acted like he was so bad, but I had him in my head, and I knew how hard he worked to protect me. Now if I could just get him to stop running away. He put his hand beneath my chin and lifted it up so I had to look at him again.

"I'm trynta give ya a choice here." He said.

I scowled. Some choice.

_He's jest tryinta keep ya safe, kit. We ain't used to dealing with other people._

I hated it when Wolvie was right, and I sighed. "Ah'll follow yah rules, Logan."

He rubbed my chin the way he rubbed my hand and sometimes even my waist when he held me. Despite my lingering irritation and urge to pout, it relaxed me.

"I ain't trynta ignore ya, and I promised I wouldn't leave ya. I just need some space to calm down and get my head straight again. Alright, kid?" He asked me.

That explanation actually made sense, and I relaxed even more, feeling a bit guilty for being selfish.

"Alrahght." I agreed.

He nodded at me, stood up, and climbed into the other bed. I resisted the urge to sigh again at the loss. But on the other hand, it meant that I had more room. I preferred to sleep spread eagle like a star fish, and I got too hot and fidgety to ever really cuddle up next to him. The extra space seemed like a poor consolation prize for Logan though.

"Goodnight, Logan." I whispered.

"Night."

* * *

**A/N: I'm posting this just past midnight because I don't have work tomorrow, thus I have no pressing reason to get up. Yesterday I slept in until 1:25 (yes, that's PM), and I don't want you lovely readers to wait that long to see the update.**

**In the last chapter, I mentioned my new blog and added a promise to put up a sneak peek for the next chapter of BBW. Children beware however, that chapter has smut in it, and the preview is a portion of that smut. However, the link I posted didn't actually show up on the site, and there was some confusion about it. So here's a repeat of the link, just in case you missed it: morganofthefey . wordpress . com. Just remove the spaces in between the dots and you're good to go.**

**Also, I know this chapter ends at a different point than its BBW companion. I don't plan to have the two stories to cover exactly the same material, and once they get to the mansion and start having lives outside of each other, they won't sync up quite so closely. I really like writing "new content" for TBH too, because I think it keeps it fresh. If I were a reader, I wouldn't want to pretty much re-read BBW each chapter.**

**Let me know if you like reading new content or if you'd prefer TBH and BBW always cover the same events.**

**PS: I apologize for the title of this chapter...**

**...not really.**


	12. Never Have I Ever

A few weeks passed since Logan declared The Rules, making it around our two month anniversary since we met. I doubted he was the type of guy to do "month-aversaries" though, so I kept my mouth shut about it. He did take me shopping for more art supplies though, but I'm pretty sure that was just coincidence. Between my new gameboy, a whole new sketchbook, a set of graphite pencils, and a couple of magazines, I had plenty to keep me entertained when Logan went out.

And we started talking more too. I learned he has a deep mistrust of anything electronic and prefers music from the eighties. I kind of thought that was lame at first, but then I started listening to Foreigner and Loverboy, and they're actually really awesome. He also knows how to chop firewood, which is possibly the most impressive skill I never knew was a thing. We were staying at a "cabin style" hotel that's supposed to look all outdoorsy for the tourists, and Logan didn't want to wait for the hotel peoples to get us some firewood, so he just borrowed their ax and did it himself. He looked like the lumberjack on the paper towels, and I couldn't look at him for the rest of the night without blushing. Thankfully, he went out shortly after, so I don't think he noticed.

But you learn something new everyday. Like apparently having a thing for Canadian lumberjacks.

Logan learned a lot of new things about me too. I properly educated him on the many different forms of chocolate, making sure to stress that the only acceptable chocolate combination is chocolate and peanut butter. Mixing it with mint or cinnamon is blasphemy against the Chocolate Gods. At first I thought he only pretended to pay attention to humor me, the way most men do when girls talk, but then he surprised me by ordering a hot fudge sundae exactly the way I like while I was in the bathroom. Fudge, peanut butter sauce, nuts. No whip cream, no cherry.

He even learned some non-chocolate related things. That I have an irrational hatred of troll dolls, and I know how to turn a cartwheel. He seemed overly impressed with the cartwheel thing and glared me down when I dared him to try one. I guess when you weigh well over two hundred pounds of solid muscle, flipping your body through the air isn't exactly an option.

And Logan pretty much gave me anything I wanted. Like, literally. If I wanted to eat a slice of chocolate cream pie bigger than my head, he just handed me a spoon. If I wanted to listen to Beethoven instead of Van Halen, he changed the station. If I wanted to stop at a random town to see Canada's largest maple leaf, he took the next exit and bought me a disposable camera.

So it came as a pretty big surprise when he suddenly flipped out over a TV show. Yeah, I kind of understood that it was Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, which did show some graphic stuff, but I really didn't expect it to be such a big deal. I just didn't want to be a sheltered little princess anymore, because look where that got me—kicked out on the street with no idea how the world really worked.

And then when I tried to explain it to him, me and my big mouth let slip about Cody. He let it slide for a while, at least until I got through explaining everything else. We settled down and watched the end of the episode, and I thought that was going to be the end of it. Then he straight up called me out on it.

"Who the fuck is Cody?"

I froze beside him. "Ah was...well, we...he kissed meh..."

Wolvie gave a low, protective growl in the back of my mind. He hadn't really heard Cody talk to me yet, but I think he could sense enough to know this story didn't have a happy ending.

"Ah don't even think Ah lahked him, but he lahked me, and Ah...Ah'd never been lahked before." I continued in a whisper.

I felt the familiar wash of shame well up that always came whenever I thought about it. I had been so stupid. I shouldn't have been scared. Why couldn't I have just kissed him?

_Ain't yer fault. Yer a good little kitling._

"Ah didn't mean to hurt him. Ah just didn't know what he wanted, an' if Ah would be his girlfriend, an' if Ah even wanted him tah kiss meh, an' Ah just got scared, an—"

"Kid."

Logan's voice stopped me, anchoring me back in the present. I realized with another jolt of shame that I had practically crawled on top of him. He moved me back to my spot more gently than I expected him to be, but I still felt sick with embarrassment. Of course he wouldn't want me near.

_Ain't like that, kit._

_Then what is it like?_

_Ain't...uh...proper..._

Wolverine's excuse for Logan was weak, and he knew it.

"Marie."

His voice drew me back again, but I didn't raise my face from where I had it pressed against his arm. I didn't want to look at him.

"It ain't yer fault, kid."

_What'd I tell ya, kitling?_

"He's in a coma." I argued back to both of them.

_Good. He hurt ya._

_Ah hurt **him**._

"He in ya head too?" Logan asked.

I nodded against his shoulder, and he sighed.

"Shit, kid. I'm sorry that happened to ya, but it ain't yer fault, alright?"

_Can't believe I'm fuckin' sayin' this, but listen to Logan._

"But if Ah hadn't got scared, he—"

"If the little piece of shit had kept his hands to his fucking self." Logan growled.

I looked up at him then, but Wolvie only nudged me reassuringly at my shock.

_It's his job to protect ya, kitling._

"Ya said ya didn't even like him, and he scared ya. He never should've touched ya...uh, without ya permission." Logan said.

I knew words weren't exactly Logan's forte, but as much as it touched me that he was trying to say nice things for me, I still knew Cody almost died because of me. Daddy said so. Wolverine tried to snarl something at that, but I'd already moved too deep into the memory to listen to him.

"It was jus' a dare. His friends dared him tah kiss the weird girl down the street. In mah head, he said he was sorry...an' Ah bet he is." I gave a sharp laugh, unable to hold back the tears. "Ah bet he's real sorry."

_Not yer fault..._

Logan moved us around until we were laying down, with him beside me. I snuggled closer, and he tightened his arms around me.

_Yer a good kitling..._

I let out an ugly sob. I knew I was getting tears and snot and probably even some drool from all of my open mouth sobbing all over Logan's shirt, but I couldn't stop.

_We'll take care of ya, kit..._

It had been so long since I had allowed myself to cry, and I finally just broke down completely in Logan's arms. He tucked my head under his chin and let me cry onto his shoulder without complaint.

_Yer our pack mate now, and we'll never let ya go._

I cried myself to sleep like that, listening to Wolverine's words and Logan's purrs. If I had been more aware, I might have thought it ironic that the man purred for me and the wolf whispered sweet nothings until I fell asleep.

But because nothing can ever go completely right for me, the next time I woke up, Logan was shaking me. I grumbled and tried to go to sleep until I realized that I had started my period in his bed—again—and he probably didn't appreciate sleeping next to someone who smelt like period blood. I jumped out of bed and dashed to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. My thighs already felt sticky, and I prayed that Logan woke me before I bled on the sheets again.

Clean up and damage control only took a few minutes, but gathering up enough shreds of my self esteem to go back out and face Logan after bleeding all over his bed _twice_ took a bit longer. Wolvie growled that I needed to suck it up and get my ass in gear. Fat lot of sympathy I got from him. It was the push I needed to open the door and peek outside though. Logan flopped over on his stomach when I edged closer, and I paused in between the beds, uncertain if that meant I should take the other bed and not bother him anymore.

"Mere." He grunted, just barely raising his head.

I crawled into bed next to him, and he didn't push me away when I snuggled a bit closer to him than I usually did. Being close to someone felt so nice. I didn't have to worry about him hitting or groping me, which had been the only touch I got on the road. Even before, most touches had been fleeting or accidental. Normal things, like an awkward handshake when I met a new grownup or a high five after a group project. There had been a few deliberate, comforting touches, like when Rebecca hugged me after I got my first B in a math class. But those had always been with a girl or a woman, never with a boy, certainly not a full grown man.

And Logan's skin practically radiated heat and temptation. Not the sort of temptation that my old pastor preached against, the kind of wanting that would send me to Hell—although I'd probably wind up there anyway. More of a curious sort of temptation, just to see what it would feel like to touch someone for no real reason at all, just because we were friends and I could.

His skin felt rough, but only from all of the hair on his arm. I wondered if it would be smoother in a place that didn't have hair but then I realized I would be hard pressed to find an inch on his body without it. And anyway, the thought of him having smooth, soft skin somehow seemed wrong. It reminded me too much of Cody. His face had been smooth, with the barest wisp of peach fuzz above his upper lip. Wolverine saw my mental image and snickered at it, confirming my vague feeling that men should have hair on their face and chest. And in Logan's case, everywhere else too, apparently.

Logan didn't move or open his eyes while I touched him, although I didn't think he had fallen asleep. I got another vague feeling from Wolvie, this time about the way a person breathes when they're truly asleep. But I figured it I bothered him, he would tell me to stop. And it was easier to say sorry than to ask for permission, so I flattened my hand and dragged my entire palm down his arm. I could feel his muscles just beneath his skin, harder than I thought they could be. I remembered a passage Rebecca had dared me to read out of a trashy novel, something about velvet and steel that suddenly started to make sense.

Then he flexed, and I nearly fell out of bed. I gasped and let go, immediately apologizing. It was only okay as long as we both pretended he was asleep.

"S'okay." He muttered.

I put my hand back at my side anyway and tried to fall asleep like a good little girl. But my stomach ached, and I never could sleep very well when I was on my period. I only lasted a few minutes before I asked if I could watch TV, but then Logan suggested we talk. I think he surprised himself with the offer just as much as he surprised me. I didn't know how to just start a conversation with him, and God forbid he try to talk about my period again, so I came up with the idea that we could play Never Have I Ever. He didn't say anything back, and I almost melted in embarrassment. Why would a grown man want to play some stupid high school game anyway?

But he said yes, and even if he didn't really mean it, I selfishly took him up on his offer. And we learned a lot more about each other playing the game. I told him about Alaska and that I was from Mississippi. He tried to play dirty though, saying he'd never worn a dress, but I got him back by saying I'd never grown a beard. It was actually pretty funny, and I vowed to do a sketch of him in a dress, body hair sticking out everywhere, and me with a beard, a real manly lumberjack looking one.

He caught me cheating when I tried to sneak by without putting my finger down when he said he'd never sang karaoke, but I just hoped he'd never ask me to sing for him. I couldn't carry a tune if it jumped up in my arms and wrapped itself around me. I tried to even out the score by saying I'd never been married, but Logan kept all his fingers up. That surprised me pretty good, because I could definitely see him having at least three ex-wives, the real nasty kind, with fake nails and boobs.

I told him so, more or less, and then laughed when he asked why couldn't have a nice, happy wife. I didn't know he was being serious, and I immediately felt bad for laughing at him like that. Of course he could have a nice life, and I thought he deserved it, but anyone could tell just by looking at him that he didn't. I admitted that sure, he could have a nice life if he wanted it though. But then where would that leave me? I couldn't imagine any woman being okay with the two of us as a package deal. And anyway, living with him and another woman like we were some sort of family and I was their kid just made my stomach hurt even worse.

I pushed down the bile rising in my throat at that thought and muttered that the two of us could just elope together to Alaska instead. I just meant it as a stupid joke, but he immediately agreed, and my stomach suddenly felt a whole lot better. I would make him pancakes and he would chop firewood and we'd never worry about anyone else, ever.

But that was just a stupid fantasy he could never know about, so I smiled at him and reminded him that it was his turn. And he turned right around and went back to cheating, saying that he'd never eaten chocolate cake, which totally wasn't fair since he's allergic and he knows how much I love chocolate. I retaliated and said I'd never rode on a motorcycle before, which was also sort of cheating because I could feel faint memories from Wolverine about how great it felt, looking at the stars between a set of handlebars.

The game didn't start getting heavy until he said he'd never sat through an entire church service, and it all went downhill from there.

"Lucky." I muttered, putting down my pink finger.

All I had left was my thumb and bad memories pushing their way to the surface of my mind.

"Thought you said you were religious?" Logan asked.

"Ah said mah _parents_ were religious. We went to church Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Wednesday evening, church camp, everything. Ah still cringe whenever Ah see a Bible." I winced slightly at the end, trying to turn it into a casual shrug.

He didn't need to know about the nasty things Daddy had said, or the way the pastor had held me down. I tried to not even think about it, because as much as I didn't want Logan to know, it would be even worse if Wolvie saw those memories. He was already afraid of drowning, and he didn't need to know what they had done to me with the holy water. Neither of them.

"So I don't have to worry about taking you to any church services?"

Logan was still trying to keep the game light and fun, the way it had been, and I tried really hard to go along with it.

"Nah. Ah don't think yah need to go to church to be a good person." I said.

"Guess that's good for me then...go." He replied, looking over my hand with just the thumb sticking out.

"Ah'm thinkin'!" I sassed, trying to keep the memories pushed down and get back into the swing of the game. "Never Have Ah Ever...made out with a boy."

I didn't mean to make him angry...well, not too much anyway. I figured he might get a little pissy at that, but I thought the look on his face would be worth it. And what if he had? What if that finally answered my questions about why he never brought a woman back or seemed to date anyone? Because I would be totally okay with that. I would support him and his life decisions, and help him dress less like a Canadian-biker-lumberjack-hobo, and be his wingman, and maybe take a secret picture or two with that disposable camera.

_Fuck no, kit. I told ya, we ain't like that._

"The fuck?!" Logan demanded.

_A girl can dream, Wolvie. An' Ah dream big._

"Finger up or down Logan." I said.

Sometimes it was difficult carrying on two conversations at once, but my generation was supposed to be really good at multitasking.

Logan kept his finger up. "What exactly makes you think I'd be making out with guys?"

I blushed sheepishly at his exasperated tone. "Midlife crisis?"

"I ain't midlife! Shit, kid. How old do you think I am?" He asked, staring me down.

I couldn't look him in the eye any longer and decided to inspect the ceiling tiles instead while I answered. "Um...well...lahhhhke...thirty five?"

"Still not midlife."

"That's almost exactly in the middle of the average human lifespan." I argued, looking back at him.

Logan held my gaze, then continued on with the game as if I'd never said anything. "Never Have I Ever..."

No, wait. I really hadn't meant to make him mad, but his entire body had grown stiff like he was tensing all over. I reached for him, twisting around to I could sit in front of him.

_Wolvie, what'd Ah say wrong? Ah didn't mean...crap._

"Logan? Ah...Ah'm sorry. Ah didn't meantah—"

_...I told ya we'd never die, kit._

Logan pulled me closer, and I hugged him, still sitting on my knees. He rested his head on top of mine.

_What's that suppo—_

"I ain't exactly the average human. I uh...I don't get old." He mumbled.

I tried to wrap my mind around that. "Yah don't age...at all?"

Logan sighed. "Been 'thirty five' for at least fifteen years, probably longer. Don't really remember before that."

He didn't remember anything before fifteen years? I wondered what could have possibly caused that, but then I remembered the glimpses of Wolverine's nightmares I'd seen mixed in with my own, when I showered, as the buzzer lit up...water and metal and explosions...I decided I didn't want to know. I had my secrets about my past and it was only fair that he kept his.

"So yah not really in the middle...yeh jus'..." I asked, trailing off and trying to understand.

"I gotta lot more time ahead of me." He said.

But never getting old...ever...it made my head hurt to think about it. Would I catch up to him in age then? Someday we'd be equal, but then also someday I'd be the older one. And after that, I'd be dead and he wouldn't.

"Well, Ah'll keep yah company for as long as Ah can." I promised.

That must have sounded good to him because he pulled me back to his chest and let me hug him. It wasn't much, and if he really never did get old...ever...then whatever time I could give him might only be a drop in a bucket. But I'd known from the very start that Logan needed a friend, and so did I, so I'd give him as much as I could.

"Ya still gonna want me around when yer old?" He whispered.

"Yah still gonna wantah be around when Ah'm old?" I replied.

He'd still be an adult, not a senior citizen. He'd be just as beautiful as he was now, and I'd have to worry about fragile hips. I couldn't see why he would worry that I would have a problem. If anything, he wouldn't want that, still obligated to take care of me as an old woman instead of a young girl.

Logan hugged me even tighter and kept going like he hadn't heard me. "I'll look like yer son. People'll talk. Ya might not want—"

No, this game was supposed to be fun, and instead I swore I could feel his pain. Maybe because I had a piece of him in his head, no matter how quiet Wolverine was trying to be right now. Or maybe just because I'd started to get to know him and could see the way he seemed to draw in on himself when he hurt. I pulled back, and I could tell that hurt him more, but I just wanted to look him in the eye so he would know I meant what I said.

"So let 'em talk. They do now. Yah said people are shit anyway." I pointed out, rubbing my hands along his arms.

Logan exhaled, and I never would have seen the way it stuttered if I hadn't been looking for it. He brushed his hand along the side of my head and I leaned forward, still petting his arms. I'd never known touch could be like this, for the sole purpose of comfort. Nothing sexual or hurtful or accidental about it. We were just both hurting, and holding onto each other made it better.

"Yeah. Yer opinion is the only one that matters, kid." He muttered.

I nodded and felt his hand slip into my hair. He always touched my hair, and I loved it. Another one of those soothing touches that I only shared with him, and I suspected that he'd only ever shared with me. I moved my hands up his arms and over his chest, but I kept them high enough that it wasn't awkward. I didn't want him to think I was feeling him up or anything...although, when I was eighty and didn't give a damn about what anyone thought, I'd jump him like a trampoline.

_Uh...kit...?_

I giggled at Wolvie's confused shock. He already knew I thought Logan was hot because he simply was. Not that I'd ever do anything about it since I was just a kid. And I guess later, when we were the same age...well, maybe, maybe not. Just as long as I never lost my friend. But once I got old enough that he knew I was just teasing, oh yes, definitely. I would make him visit my nursing home and show him off to all my old lady friends and watch them turn green with envy at my hot young piece of Canadian bacon.

_Canadian what?!_

I laughed aloud at that, and Logan nudged me, feeling left out of the conversation.

"Ah'm gonna flaunt yah _all_ around mah nursing home."

"What?"

I finally looked up at him. "Ah'll be eighty years old an' pinching yah butt cheeks."

"Uh...what?" He repeated.

"An' Ah'll make yah play Mah-Jong with meh an' hold mah dentures. An' all the other old ladies will be so jealous!" I laughed at the thought of it.

He smiled back at me, and I squeezed his arm again. His smile was only a twitch of his lips, without much real happiness in it, but he seemed a bit more relaxed than before. At least he tried.

"That sounds good, kid." He said.

"Yeah."

I had to remind myself that wasn't an actual promise. He hadn't really said he'd still be there when I was eighty, but it sounded implied. He hadn't said no, and Wolvie growled out a yes in my head. So I tried to have hope but not get my expectations too high at the same time.

"It's yeh turn again." I said, trying to get back to the game.

He started his turn, but I interrupted and demanded to know how he knew what he had and hadn't done if he couldn't remember past fifteen years. He told me he'd just gone off of what he did remember, which I suppose was okay since he couldn't really do any better than that, but then that meant I couldn't do any high school or "first" things like kisses and dates. He probably did all of that and forgot it already, but that thought threatened to turn things sad again, so I made some smart aleck comment about him getting a degree in Basket Weaving. Which was actually really funny. He could use his claws to cut the grass and make baskets with all the hippies.

Logan finally settled on saying he'd never been on a plane and then we started talking about things we were afraid of, er..."didn't like." It was nice to know there were things Logan "didn't like" either, especially since clowns were on the list. Clowns just shouldn't be allowed to exist. I told him about how I hated them and frogs too, and he assured me it was too cold up here for frogs. I assumed he'd protect me from the clowns.

I wanted to learn something new about him too, so on my next turn I said I'd never had a sibling. But I should have just done something else because it made Logan all frustrated and sad again. I thought if he remembered the last fifteen years at least, any siblings he had would have popped up by this point, but he acted like he really didn't know whether or not he had any family. He said he might remember someone being with him while he fought, and I guess that was the first time it really clicked in my mind exactly _how_ he earned the tags laying on the dresser.

I felt like a complete idiot, but he didn't seem offended and even put a finger down, just in case I suppose. Between the emotional drama, how late it had gotten, and sudden embarrassment, I tried to take a second turn even though I had already went. Logan let me go along with it though, until I yawned halfway through my Never Have I Ever.

"Gettin' sleepy, kid?" He asked, stroking my hair again.

I just nodded and leaned against him. He shifted us around until we were laying back down again, and the late hour got to me as soon as my head hit the pillow. I flopped around until I got comfortable on my side and then sleep started tugging at my mind again. I managed to crack an eye open though, just enough to look at Logan.

"Play again later?" I asked.

"Anytime."

"Thanks for ta—ahhh—lking to me." I mumbled.

I could feel him running his hand over my head and even on down my arm and side, but it felt distant in a nice, fuzzy sort of way. I had almost dozed off when his voice woke me up again, not that I minded.

"I'm here to take care of ya."

I pried my eyes open and frowned sleepily at him. "Wha d'Ah do f'yah?"

He raised his hand back up to my head and ran his fingers through my hair in a way that made it entirely too difficult to concentrate on anything except melting into a puddle of pure bliss.

"Keep me company."

I yawned and my eyes drifted shut.

"Night kid."

"G'nahght, sugah."

* * *

**A/N: I did a bit of narrative summary in this chapter just because I didn't think some parts were worth repeating. And I don't want TBH to get repetitive since it covers the same content as what you've already read in BBW.**

**I also finally finished plotting out all of the big stuff that I want to happen to Marie and Logan! YAY! It's going to be like thirty fucking chapters until they reach the mansion...yay...? Seriously, I did not plan for this to turn into some sort of epic, but that's what it's going to be, so strap on your seat belts and prepare for the long haul. But don't worry too much, I DO NOT plan on taking over half a year to write all that. No promises now, but when these next two weeks are over (the busiest two of the year for my job), I'll figure something out about updating more often.**

**To Anonymous Guest Reviewer: By lives outside of each other, I mean that Marie will get a job and take classes at the mansion. Logan might stalk her pretty hard core, but he won't be sitting in the classroom with her at all times, so she's going to have some non-Logan influenced interaction with the other students. Likewise, Logan will have his own shit to deal with when the adults try to be social and/or pass judgment on him and Marie. I promise they won't grow apart or anything, but they will start to have lives that are a bit more their own.**

**To Anonymous Guest Reviewer:**** I'm glad you liked the gameboy scene! It's one of my personal favorites. These two stories will always be here, from each POV, so even though Marie may not understand Logan's actions and vice versa, you as the reader will get to hear their thoughts and know where they're both coming from. I hope that made sense and reassured you a bit.**


	13. Mind Your Own Business

"Where're we?" I mumbled, blinking at the store.

I remembered finally dozing off in the truck, but that had been in the afternoon. The sun had already set now, although it did tend to get dark early in the winter. The store wasn't a restaurant, gas station, or hotel though, so I didn't understand why Logan would wake me up and bring me inside. While I tried to figure it out, Logan hugged me from behind, letting me lean against him. I still hadn't fully woke up, and I let him hold me up almost completely, not even bothering to support my own weight.

"Logan." A woman's voice gasped.

I cracked my eyes back open to see a woman nearing her mid thirties with pointy black glasses and long dirty blond hair. She looked really pretty, but also kind of tired, like she had just pulled an all nighter. And she obviously knew Logan, even though she didn't seem to be expecting him.

"Laur...en?" Logan guessed.

Well, how good of friends could they be if he didn't know her name? Wolvie just snorted, but then refused to say anything else, which he only did if it had something to do with women or Logan's past. I guess good-old-what's-her-face fit into both those categories.

"Ri. Lori. We've been through this before, Logan. Although, I suppose it is closer than Karen." Lori said good-naturedly.

Logan didn't reply, and Lori looked down at me instead. I tried to stand a little straighter and resist the urge to draw back into Logan. She reminded me of my Aunt Martha and the other ladies who went to our church, the kind that might actually be nice, but say things like, "We mean well," and "It's for your own good."

"So what's your name?" She asked.

"Rogue."

She paused, like she expected to hear the punch line next. I didn't say anything else, and the moment stretched into awkward infinity and beyond. I wanted to just let it hang there, leave it and tell her to get bent, but that was probably just Wolvie's bad attitude mixed with my recent lack of sleep.

_Yer the one with an attitude, kit._

"Ah'm sorry, Ah jus' woke up, an' mah manners aren't quite here yet."

I might be half asleep, grumpy, and on my period, but damn if I wasn't going to be a lady about it. And now that the sleep had started to clear, I could remember actually getting out of the truck and walking in here. The sign out front said it was a bookstore, and that there was a half price sale going on. The prospect of getting new books helped cheer me up a lot.

"Hi, Lori. This is a nice store you have." I said.

Lori gave me a hesitant smile back. "Thank you...Rogue."

"How'd you know this is hers?" Logan asked with a light nudge.

I rolled my eyes. "Ain't like her name isn't on the sign out front. In blue and gold lettering. Not conspicuous at all."

_Lady, my ass._

_Ah don't hafta be a lady for Logan. He doesn't count._

"No need fer ya dictionary words." Logan snarked right back.

I leaned my head back and stuck my tongue out at him. He growled, trying to sound tough, but I just laughed it off. Logan had already ruined his image as a badass in my eyes when he ordered my sundae just the way I liked it, and started opening doors for me, and carried me across icky slush puddles so I wouldn't get melted snow in my boots.

"Please excuse him." I told Lori. "He's a little...male."

"I know." Lori replied.

"Oh really?"

How exactly did you discover this fact? Did you get a visual confirmation? I did. How did you meet him? Are you old friends, exes, _lovers_? Did you experience his "maleness" firsthand? How long was this encounter?

_Hold the fuck up, kit. Ain't none of yer goddamn business._

What if they were star-crossed lovers, separated by the cruel hand of fate?

_Been readin' those trashy books again, huh kit?_

_Well..._

"How's your husband?" Logan asked.

"Dead."

Ouch, subject change backfired. Had she loved her husband? She said it matter-of-factly, but maybe that was a cover because she moved on, still pined for him, was secretly happy the bastard finally kicked it. Wolverine made the most put upon sigh I had ever heard in my head. I mentally stuck my tongue out at him too.

"Shit. Er, sorry. The kids?"

"A handful, but they're all fine. Oldest is probably only a couple of years younger than yours." Lori said.

When she talked about her kids, her smile got brighter. She obviously loved them, but it got on my nerves that she thought Logan was my dad. That was just gross. Why couldn't we just be friends?

_How many girls yer age ya know friends with men old enough t'be their fathers?_

_Ah'm mature for mah age._

"He's not mah dad." I told her.

"Oh. I guess Logan is a friend of your family...?" She asked, trying to make sense of it.

"No." I looked back up at Logan. "Do yah mind if Ah look around?"

He nodded. "Just stay close, kid."

I still felt like I had been a tiny bit rude to Lori though, so I offered her my condolences before I walked away. The nearest section that I walked into was the nonfiction section. Normally I preferred nonfiction to fiction, since it just seemed to mean more if it was about real people. I really loved the history diaries written by young girls, but that had been a couple of years ago, and I couldn't remember what the series was called anymore. I searched through the rows of books while Logan and Lori talked.

"So...Logan."

"So...Luuuu..."

I didn't even like Lori, but even I had to admit forgetting her name right after she told it to him was a jerk move. Logan was my best friend, but he was still a guy, and he still had his jerk moments.

"Logan! She just told yah her name is Lori. Don't mind him, Lori. It's been a long drive, _Lori_." I said, stressing her name.

"Oh. How long has it been?" Lori asked.

I shrugged. I could tell she didn't really care. "Ah don't know. Ah slept through most of it. Where's the fiction?"

"It's toward the back. I can show you where." She offered.

Oh, goodie. She could have just pointed. But now I had to walk with her to the back of the store in awkward silence, and I just knew there was A Talk coming up. I felt like she was that sort of grown up, especially since she was a mother. I had enough issues and emotional trauma caused by my real mother, and I really didn't want to try to deal with Lori butting her way in my life on top of that. She stopped in front of a row of shelves, obviously the fiction section, and I immediately started browsing before she could say anything. I hoped she would take the hint and leave then, but of course she didn't.

"So how do you know Logan?"

Ugh, nooooo. I knew she wouldn't leave.

"How do yah?" I retorted.

She blushed and stumbled over her explanation. "We...met a long time ago. I only saw him one more time after that, and he fixed my car."

Fixed her car. Riiiiight. If that's what grown ups are calling it these days, I bet he fixed her car real good.

_Kit, stop._

_What? No judgment._

"That sounds nice."

_Yeah, 'cause ya sound real fuckin' happy._

_Ah jus' don't wanna talk to her._

Lori didn't actually have a reply for that, and for a few seconds, I dared to hope she would leave me alone and mind her own business. Because if what she and Logan may or may not have done was none of mine, then Logan and I were none of hers.

"Do your parents know where you are?"

But no, she just couldn't let it go.

"They wouldn't care if they did, so Ah don't see how it matters..." I turned to look back at her. "...or how it's any of yah business."

She blinked and put a perfect picture of concern on her face. "I just want to make sure you're safe."

"Yah said yah know Logan."

Her concern cracked a bit, and she shifted nervously. "...yes?"

"Then do yah think he'd ever hurt meh?" I asked.

"Listen, sweetie—"

Wrong answer.

"Then yah don't really know Logan. Does this sticker mean it's half off?" I held up the book I'd chosen and acted like the last half of the conversation hadn't even happened.

"Oh, um...well, yes. It does." She reluctantly answered.

"Thank yah." I replied, brushing past her on my way back to Logan.

He was still leaning against a shelf near the front counter, idly glancing around the store. I didn't think this was the sort of place he went into at all, and despite whatever happened between them—or maybe because of it—he and Lori didn't seem all that close. Had he just taken me here because he knew I liked to read?

_Family takes care of each other._

His usual scowl softened when I walked up to him, and I held up the book for him to inspect. "Can Ah have this one?"

"Sure, kid." He said and shrugged.

Lori walked around the counter to ring me up, and I tried not to feel so guilty because that was stupid. It was just Harry Potter, and Logan clearly didn't care if I read it, but I still felt like my parents were going to pop out from behind a shelf and yell at me for reading unholy literature. I actually didn't like fantasy all that much, but it seemed like everyone else in the world had read the series, and I wanted to decide if it was good or not on my own. But Logan must have picked up my nerves, or maybe he just somehow smelled it, because he shifted closer to me and leaned down.

"There some reason I shouldn't let ya get that?" He asked.

"Well, um...it's not bad. It's a series about a boy who finds out he can do magic. But mah parents said that was witchcraft and wouldn't let meh read it. They didn't like meh reading so much anyway." I babbled, hoping he'd let me keep it.

He scowled. "Why the fuck wouldn't they want ya to read?"

"'Cause Ah should be talking to people or doing my piano lessons...something ladylike." I said.

"Readin' ain't ladylike?"

"Mah momma always told meh Ah would never get a husband with my nose buried in a book." I admitted.

"It's alright to be smart, but not too smart, right?" Lori added.

"Mm-hmm." Not your conversation Lori, but yeah, pretty much.

"Bullshit."

I looked back over at Logan in shock at his sudden declaration. He leaned against the counter, still looking at me despite Lori obviously listening in over his shoulder behind the counter.

"I might know how to fix broken shit and work with my hands, but I don't know nothing about books and history and shit. Ya do, and that's a good thing. Don't let anyone tell ya fuckin' different, kid."

I could feel my face get warm as I blushed. Logan might not talk much or even be all that good at it, but at least I knew he meant everything he said, and every now and then he said something perfectly right.

"You said it's a series. Then get the rest." Logan said when I nodded.

He didn't need to tell me twice. I dashed off to the back of the store again before he could change his mind. There were seven books in the series, and they were really big too. Which made it difficult to balance them all on my way back, but they would definitely keep me busy for a while. I tried to think of this time as just a really long summer. No school, no job, just hanging out for the summer. I read a lot over the summers, and thinking of whatever my life was now as just an extended summer made it not so scary.

Honestly, it was kind of weird not to have any responsibilities all of a sudden. Logan took care of everything. I didn't even have any chores, if I didn't count getting him up in the morning and cleaning up a hotel room or washing his clothes every now and then. Not like at home where I had to help Mama clean the house and cook supper and mow the lawn and do all my homework. Now I suddenly had all this free time I didn't know what to do with.

"...that was really sweet." I heard Lori say.

I paused and waited for a few seconds to give them time to work out whatever they needed to. Not because I was eavesdropping. I just so happened to stop in a spot where I could still hear them, that's all. Logan didn't reply though, so I walked out from behind the shelf and up to the front counter.

"Logan, Ah—"

I had to stop and rebalance the stack of books in my arms and when I looked back up, Lori gave me one of those faint, disapproving, you're-interrupting-an-adult-conversation-it's-pas t-your-bedtime-anyway looks. I thought maybe their conversation wasn't done after all, but when I looked back to Logan, he held his arm out. He didn't look like he minded my sudden reappearance at all, and he wrapped his arm around me when I went to stand beside him. Lori could go get bent after all, Logan was my friend.

"Ah could only find the last one in hardback." I told him.

"Ain't a problem, kid. I told you to get what you want." He replied.

He always said that. Get whatever you want. My parents weren't poor by any means, but they made certain to oversee, approve, and censor anything and everything I came into contact with. Books, TV shows, even my friends. Logan made sure I was safe, and then left it at that. He never said anything about how much something cost, even though I knew I had to be expensive. Food, clothing, toiletries, books, and whatever else I wanted...surely that all had to add up.

I knew it did. I had tried to survive myself all summer long. I never realized how much everything cost until I suddenly had to pay for all of it myself. Cody was the very first voice I had, but the next came from a trucker who gave me a ride. I was still so new back then, I thought he was just being nice. He thought I wouldn't fight back. I still had nightmares about it sometimes, although not so often now. I considered myself lucky it happened though. His name was Bill, and he had grown up rough, out on the streets. In a way, he taught me how to steal and shoplift and dig through dumpsters, or at least his memories did. As awful as they were, they helped me learn to survive on my own, without accepting "help" from older men.

Logan didn't count. He was a good person.

I looked around the countertop, staring at my books just to have something else to think about. A glimpse of color caught my eye, and I saw a small display case with some cheap stuff, like chap stick and bookmarks and a few different colors of nail polish. I'd always wanted to paint my nails but my parents...another thing that I knew wasn't really wrong, but they would disapprove of anyway. I grabbed it and set it beside the books for Lori to ring up before I could change my mind. Logan glanced at it but didn't say anything.

"If you need a place to stay tonight, you can stay at my house." Lori said, bringing me out of my thoughts.

Right. Because even though he was my friend, Logan was still a man, and Lori was a woman and yeah. I stared down at the countertop. Not jealous, not jealous at all, I just...didn't want to be forgotten. But Logan hadn't agreed yet, hadn't said anything at all actually.

"It's just an offer, Logan. The old hotel closed about a month ago." Lori explained.

Logan still stayed silent and finally Lori's helpful expression dropped and became a bit sheepish.

"...And my car is making that noise again. I promise the kids will leave you alone, but you're welcome to join us for dinner if you want." She finished.

"That sound good, kid?"

I looked up at Logan. Why was he asking me? It was his decision. He drove the truck, I was just along for the ride, as far as he would take me.

"I can just keep driving if you want." He continued.

_Fer the thousandth fuckin' time kit, family takes care of each other._

I didn't have a reply special enough for that, and even if I did, I wasn't going to say it in front of Lori. Logan was so incredibly good to me, and he deserved to be thanked for it, but I could do that later when some woman I didn't even know wasn't watching us. Logan would probably be embarrassed and uncomfortable if I got all mushy in front of someone else anyway.

"Ah don't like to be touched. Make sure yeh kids know that." I said, making my decision.

Lori sort of looked at me like I had said something really strange and maybe even a little stupid. I didn't expect her to understand about the touching thing, but I didn't think she should be giving me a look like that though. Then I realized that I'd been leaning all up over Logan when I said the part about how I don't like to be touched.

"Logan's okay." I mumbled, feeling stupid after all.

"Alright, I'll tell them to be careful of your personal space. They really are well behaved." Lori said.

"You still live in the same place?" Logan asked.

Lori nodded. "Yeah, down the road. I was just about to lock up anyway, so you can follow me there."

Logan tugged on my waist, and I grabbed my bag of books. We walked out to the truck, and Logan opened my door and helped me inside. I set the books beneath at my feet beneath the dashboard, so they were out of Logan's way but still close enough that I could reach them. I could see Lori locking up, and I hoped we got to her house before the weather got bad.

"I meant what I said about us leaving if you want." Logan said, breaking the silence.

I gave him his well deserved smile and thank you. "It's alrahght. Thanks for the books, sugah."

"Welcome, kid."

* * *

**A/N: I know I updated this one a bit late in the day, but to be fair, I just woke up. And it was a glorious twelve hours of sleep that I had.**

**In other news, I've figured out what I want to do with the update/this-fic-turned-into-an-epic-I-didn't-mean- to-I'm-sorry-but-not-really situation. Next week, everything will still update the same, but I should get TBH caught up with BBW or close enough. The week AFTER next, I'll change the updating schedule, so pay attention to this next part: BBW and TBH will both update on Monday, then they will both update again on Friday. No Wednesday update, but you'll still get TBH twice a week and an extra chapter of BBW. But remember, that's not next week, but the week after. Both stories should be caught up by then, and my actual oh...you know...JOB won't be as busy either, so I can get back to what's really important-fanfiction.**

**Also, some shameless self-plugging. Tomorrow I'll post another sneak peek of the next BBW chapter on my blog at morganofthefey . wordpress . com. I'll also be putting up a picture of a (minimalist) Rogan sketch I did on that sight and my tumblr blog at some point, probably Saturday or Sunday.**

**So check all of that stuff out and let me know if the upcoming schedule change sounds good to you!**


	14. Bananas Are Weird

Logan didn't offer any explanation about how he knew Lori on the way over to her house, but he wasn't exactly the sharing type, so I hadn't really expected him to anyway. I kept my bare hand on top of his while he drove. It had sort of become a habit, when I wasn't reading or playing Pokemon or something. I liked just being able to touch him, and he never complained. It started to snow lightly on the way over, and it would probably get worse over the night. We made it Lori's house before the weather got really bad though. Bikes and balls and general kid stuff littered the lawn, despite the snow.

We parked off to the side, and I tugged my gloves back on while Logan walked around the truck to my side. He helped me out and kept an arm wrapped around me while he walked me up to the front door. Lori pushed against it, but it barely budged. The house didn't look bad or anything, but it did look old and a bit...worn. Logan shoved the door open, and we all hurried inside, out of the cold.

"Mommy, mommy, tell him—"

"No, I didn't!"

"Yuh, huh! He's the one who—"

"My dolly!"

Lori's three kids immediately appeared, two boys and a little girl with tear tracks down her face and a ripped doll. Lori didn't waste any time in grabbing the boys and making them stand off to the side while she talked to the girl.

"It's okay, Elizabeth. Just calm down and tell me what happened." She said, kneeling in front of the little girl.

The older boy stood in front of his younger brother, who kept trying to get out in front of him to look at us. His older brother kept an arm out protectively in front of his little brother though, standing in between us and him. I never had an older brother like that. He looked upset and even a little mean, but I could tell he was younger than me, and if I had a little brother, I'd probably be wary of strangers coming into my house too. I tried to reassure him by giving a little wave. He just shoved his brother further back behind him and kept glaring at me.

In the meantime, Elizabeth worked up a pretty good wail. "They ripped my dolly!"

The older brother turned his attention away from me and shouted that he did not, just as the younger brother tried to claim it was an accident. They should have gotten their story straight earlier.

"Alright, I don't care how it happened, you two know the rules about rough housing around your sister. Say you're sorry." Lori ordered.

"M'sorry, Lizzie." The younger one offered.

"Yeah. Sorry." The older one finally muttered after his nudged him.

"My dolly!" Elizabeth shouted again before Lori could say anything else.

She looked back down at the doll and faltered. Elizabeth picked up on her hesitation like a shark smelling blood and instantly began working up another wail. I'd babysat for nearly every house on the block to earn my Alaska money, which was pretty much the only "job" my parents approved of since young girls should learn how to take care of babies and children early on. So I stepped forward before Elizabeth could start screaming again, acting like I was a thousand times more confident than I felt. I swear babies and children can smell fear.

"What's yeh dolly's name?" I asked Elizabeth.

She unscrunched her face and glared at me uncertainly before mumbling, "Polly."

"Alrahght, Elizabeth. Ah can fix Polly for yah, but yah have to calm down. Fair?" I said, pressing my advantage before she could remember to be upset again.

Elizabeth sniffled, but nodded and didn't start crying again. Crisis averted for now. I smiled at her. Happy. I was happy, she was happy, we were all just so damn happy.

"Do yah have a sewing kit?" I asked Lori, still smiling and using my happy voice.

Lori just looked at me in surprise before she nodded. Yes, Lori. That's right I can take care of children, because I am mature and responsible and...well okay, maybe I'm not an adult, but I am a teenager, and that counts for something right? Wolvie just snorted at me in the back of my mind.

"Yeah, I'll go get it for you. Boys, Rogue and Logan are our guests, so be nice. I mean it, Tanner!" She called back at what I assumed was the older one before she walked off.

The younger one pushed his way out from behind his older brother and grinned at me. "I'm Sam."

"Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie!" Elizabeth started shouting.

"Hey! She ain't gonna fix your doll if you don't be quiet, Lizzie." Tanner snapped at her.

Sam winced. "This is Tanner."

"Hello." I said, smiling at all of them and hoping they couldn't see how badly I wanted to hide behind Logan.

"Are you Logan or Rogue?" Sam asked.

I pointed behind me. "He's Logan. I'm Rogue."

"Rogue, like a traitor spy?"

"Sam, shut it."

"Polly?"

"Ah'll fix Polly as soon as yeh mom gets back." I promised Elizabeth.

"We really didn't mean to rip it, Lizzie." Sam said, actually looking a little sorry.

"Say sorry." Elizabeth muttered with another sniffle.

Sam smiled nervously. "We just did that, Lizzie."

"To Polly!" She demanded.

"I'm very sorry I hurt you, Polly." Sam apologized, dropping the smile and looking appropriately serious.

They both turned to look at Tanner, but he just crossed his arms and glared back at them.

"No."

Elizabeth scrunched up her face again, and I didn't think I would be able to stop her again if she decided to cry. I'd promised to fix her doll, but they weren't my kids or my problem. I stayed perfectly still in my crouch. Moving would only draw attention to myself.

"I ain't—It's not even—" Tanner protested, but nothing he said appeased her. "I'm sorry!"

Elizabeth held her breath, still threatening to cry. Tanner glared at her, and she glared right back. I worried she was going to turn blue soon and started to rethink my decision to stay out of it. I had almost decided I needed to step in again when Tanner broke.

"...Polly."

Elizabeth exhaled and looked around. But Lori hadn't come back yet, and her gaze settled on me, the only other female in the room. Her eyes lit up, and she thrust her arms out at me.

"Hug."

I just barely managed to keep from turning around and running all the way back to Logan. Children could smell fear, don't be afraid, I have my gloves on, I could hug her, but if an accident, if she touched my face, just don't be afraid and it won't be a problem.

"Sorry, can't. Ah'm getting over the flu. Germs." I said, desperately trying to keep my voice steady.

_It's alright, kitling. Jest calm down. _

_No, Ah can't! Ah'll hurt her, an' everyone will hate meh again!_

"Hug!"

"Hey, is that your truck?"

Logan. I needed Logan. This was a bad idea, a mistake, we never should have come here. Tanner grabbed Elizabeth, and I forced myself to calm down and concentrate. Logan was still behind me, and Tanner had Elizabeth. She wiggled around in her arms, but he kept a tight grip on her. She couldn't touch me, everything might be okay if I could just keep calm.

"Sam, don't pester them." Tanner ordered. "Lizzie, calm down. You promised to be good, remember?"

"Hug..." She whined, trying to grab me.

That was the last straw. I straightened up and forced myself to keep my movements slow and calm as I backed up. Logan stood just behind me, close enough that I could feel the body heat he radiated.

"I'm hugging you now. So just be still, and I'll rub your head." Tanner promised.

Sam walked away from the window, back over to us, but Tanner jerked his head toward the kitchen.

"I got Lizzie, go check on Mom."

Tanner lifted Elizabeth up and held her against his side while Sam ran off into the kitchen. Tanner might be kind of rude, but he patted his little sister's head gently, the way Logan sometimes did to me. She stopped struggling and started to yawn.

"Give Polly to Rogue, Lizzie." Tanner whispered.

Elizabeth whined again, but she held out the doll to me. I locked eyes with Tanner, and he gave me a tiny nod. I took a few cautious steps forward and took the doll from her as carefully as I could. I knew I didn't have to be so careful with my gloves on, but I was still pretty freaked out, and I backed up again as soon as I had the doll.

"She missed her nap. I'll be back in a minute." Tanner said.

He carried Elizabeth off in the other direction that Sam had went, and then only Logan and I were left in the front foyer. I don't know who moved first, but I was back in Logan's arms the instant they left.

"We can still leave if you want." He whispered.

I sighed and finally relaxed. "They seem like good kids. Ah'll be alrahght."

"Sure, kid?"

I turned my head and half nodded, half nuzzled against his shoulder. I'd be fine as long as he was there. And they really weren't so bad, I just got freaked out easily around new people, especially when there was touching involved. But Tanner seemed like he was used to being in charge, and he really did do a good job of handling Sam and Elizabeth. Nothing had even happened, and it didn't seem like such a big deal now, now that Logan was hugging me at least. I may not have an older brother to protect me, but I had Logan, and that was at least as good. Probably better.

Tanner came back, and I tried to casually step away from Logan, but he just tightened his grip. I didn't want Tanner telling Lori we were...well, we were just hugging. But Logan wasn't my older brother. Even I couldn't see him as that, not really, not when I snuck glances at him when he was shirtless or in the shower with me. He was my packmate though, my only friend and family. Not that anyone else would ever understand, and I didn't want to get Logan in any sort of trouble.

Logan straightened back up, but he kept his arm wrapped around me. He and Tanner glared at each other for a moment, which suddenly seemed really funny to me. Tanner had to be at least a year younger than me, maybe even two, and Logan was...possibly really, really old. And yet, they had a staring contest. Boys and men were weird. Testosterone must not be good for the brain. Tanner looked away first, but he tried to make it seem like he had just looked at Sam, who came in from the kitchen. I didn't blame Tanner for losing the contest. Logan was...well...

_The Alpha male._ Wolverine growled in my head.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"She fall asleep again?" Tanner asked.

Sam nodded. "Yeah."

"Alright, fine." Tanner sighed. "Come on then."

He walked away, and we followed him into the kitchen. Logan kept his arm around me as we walked in and saw Lori fast asleep at the kitchen table, the sewing kit laying in front of her. I felt kind of bad for disliking her. It must be really hard to run a business and be a single mother with three kids at the same time. I nearly had a panic attack trying to deal with them in just the first five minutes.

Logan let go of me and reached for Lori. I tried not to feel...ugly...about it. He gripped the back of her chair, and Tanner grabbed his wrist. Yep, testosterone definitely wasn't good for the brain. I didn't even need to hear Wolverine's growl to know that had been a bad idea. Logan didn't do anything other than glare at Tanner though.

"I'm just gonna carry her upstairs." He said in a whisper growl.

They had another staring moment, then Tanner let go. Logan pulled Lori's chair out and lifted her up into his arms. I looked away from them and examined the sewing kit. I had no reason to feel so awful about Logan touching someone else, and I was just being selfish. I tried to ignore the situation, but I looked up when I noticed everyone had stopped moving. Logan hadn't left yet, and he looked at me with his head cocked to the side.

_Ya gonna be alright without him, kit?_

I nodded at him, and he left with Lori. Tanner followed after them, leaving me alone with Sam. I sat down at the table, setting the doll next to the kit. Sam set in the chair next to me. I chose some white thread that would blend in with the fabric that made up the doll's skin. Sam scooted closer. I threaded the needle, and he put his elbows on the table, leaning forward and watching me.

"Yes, Sam?" I asked, trying to be polite.

He took a deep breath. "Why's your name Rogue? Are you a spy? Why do you talk funny? Is Logan your dad?"

I stabbed my thumb with the needle at the last question. Sucking the blood off my finger gave me time to think of my answers and gather my composure. I reminded myself he was just a little kid, probably not any older than ten. You didn't tell little kids to fuck off.

"Mah name's Rogue because it means someone who's alone, an' Ah used to be alone. No, Ah'm not a spy. Ah have a southern drawl because Ah'm from Mississippi...that's a state in America. No, he's not mah dad." I replied instead.

"Ho—"

"One question at a time." I said.

Sam stopped and rethought his next question. "Why are you still wearing your gloves?"

"Ah don't like to touch other people."

"But with the gloves, it's okay?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

I stopped sewing and looked at him. "Ah don't want to talk about it."

He stared back at me for a few seconds. Something seemed to occur to him, and he leaned even closer with a thoughtful expression.

"Can you make spaghetti?" He asked, dead serious.

I nodded slowly. "Yes...would yah like meh to make yah spaghetti for supper?"

"Yeah-huh! I'd ask Mom, but she's asleep, and Tanner tries, but he's not really very good at it, and he says I'm not allowed to cook in the kitchen until I'm older, but I love spaghetti." He said all in one breath.

_Is that how Ah sound when Ah babble?_

…

_Wolvie?_

Crap. No wonder Logan always cut me off. It felt like I had just been hit with a verbal tsunami. How did he even put up with me?

"Well, Ah'll make spaghetti, but only if it's okay with Tanner an' Logan." I said.

Sam grinned and nodded. "Tanner likes spaghetti, but his favorite is meatloaf. I don't like meatloaf though, because it's weird, like bananas, which are really weird because they're shaped funny and their skin peels off, and how do you think anyone knew to eat them? Who do you think saw this long yellow thing and thought, I bet I could peel that and eat whatever's inside. Weird."

I was still trying to recover from another tidal wave of chatter from Sam when Logan and Tanner walked back down the stairs, and Sam turned his attention on them. I kept my head down and kept sewing. If they could distract Sam for just one more minute, I could finish fixing the doll.

"Is Mom still asleep? Did she wake up any? You put her in her room, right? Do you like spaghetti?" He asked.

"Goddammit, Sam. One question at a time." Tanner snapped.

I felt his pain. I'd managed to keep from cussing at the kid, but it had been a close call. I couldn't imagine having to deal with him all the time.

"Yes. No. Yes. What the fuck does that have to do with anything?" Logan demanded.

"Sam likes spaghetti, and Ah can have it ready in twenty minutes. Please don't swear. Either of yah." I asked.

I just had to tie the thread off, and I'd be done.

"Since when the fu—"

I looked up at Logan, and he stared back at me. Really, Logan? You want to do this now? I put up with Lori, kept Sam busy, and fixed Elizabeth's doll. The least you can do is not cuss for one goddamn night.

_Uh, kit..._

_Shut up._

I'd already seen Tanner lose his staring contest with Logan, and I knew just glaring wasn't going to cut it. But I wanted to make it through this with as little trouble from Lori as possible, and swearing in front of children was just rude anyway. So I resorted to desperate measures and gave him The Look. Logan lasted all of three seconds before he caved.

"Can't. I. Swear." He finished.

I tied the knot and cut the thread, then looked back up at him. "Not around children."

"We're no—" Tanner started to protest.

"Yer a child." Logan growled.

Actually, _jerk_, I'm a teenager. But sassing him wasn't going to help me any, so I just sighed instead.

"But Ah'm not Lori's child. And yah know she wouldn't approve of yah or them swearing. Plus, we're guests in her house." I reasoned.

"Yeah. Guests. So don't tell me what to do." Tanner sneered.

My patience broke, and I slammed the doll back down on the table. "Yah two wanna swear so bad? Fahne! Yah can jus' go out tah the garage then and cuss up a storm and eat motor oil!"

"I can still have spaghetti though, right?" Sam asked.

I took a deep breath for control and kept my voice calm. "Yes, Sam. Yah may have spaghetti. Here. Take Polly to yeh sister."

"Don't wake her up!" Tanner called after Sam as he ran off with the doll.

"Do yah know where yeh Mom keeps the pasta noodles and sauce, or should Ah just see what Ah can find?" I asked Tanner, getting up and taking a look around the kitchen.

He showed me where the pots and strainer were and grabbed the noodles and sauce for me. I filled one of the pots with some water, threw the noodles in, and turned on the burner. While I waited for the water to boil, Tanner poured the sauce into a smaller pot and set it over another burner. I started to estimate how long it would take for each to cook when Logan suddenly spit into the sink. He had a water bottle filled with apple juice in one hand, but he must have thought it was beer. I couldn't help but giggle at the betrayed look on his face.

"What'd you expect? That's my sister's apple juice, numbnu—skull." Tanner said.

"I thought it was beer."

Tanner rolled his eyes. "There's a TV in the living room, if you want to get out of the way."

"There's some eggs in the fridge, if you want to suck one." Logan growled.

"Logan..." I warned.

"What? I didn't swear."

"And your insults are getting more creative already." I said with a sigh.

I had to give it to him though, that was one of the best ways I had ever heard someone get told to go suck an egg.

Tanner crossed his arms. "Just leave so we can get this done."

Logan crossed his arms right back at Tanner, a much more impressive display, if I did say so myself.

"You sure you don't need help, sugar?" He asked.

It took me a second to figure out he meant me. I called him sugar, not the other way around. But I guess him saying kid might get a little confusing considering how many actual children were here.

"Um, yeah. Could yah jus'..." I got an idea and waved my hand at him. "...move a little over there?"

He scooted over a bit, and I waved again until he took a couple more steps.

"Little more...just a little...further back..."

Finally, he reached the doorway of the kitchen. He raised an eyebrow, and I grinned at him.

"Jus' see if yah can catch a game or something, an' Ah'll have this ready in twenty. Alrahght, sugah?" I asked.

He grunted and left. A few minutes later, I heard the TV come on. I turned back to the stove and concentrated on not letting either of the pots boil over. Tanner helped, and we watched and waited in silence. I felt like I needed the break after dealing with Sam, and he didn't seem particularly chatty. Twenty minutes is a long time to stand in absolute silence though, and I broke first.

"So how old are yah?" I asked.

"Almost twelve. You?"

"Fourteen."

He finally turned to look at me. "How does he know my mom?"

"Don't know. Ah was gonna ask yah." I replied.

"He said they had sex." Tanner said.

I blushed. "Gross. Sorry."

Logan might be hot, but sex was still...I looked back at the noodle pot and tried to fight down my blush. Sex was wrong and sinful, but the books I'd read said it was also fun and special. I guess it could be a lot of things, depending on the people, but between Logan and Lori...gross. Maybe she had been younger then. Tanner shrugged and tried to act like he didn't care, but I knew he did. I cared, and Logan was just my friend. It must be a thousand times more gross for Tanner.

"Soooo...do yah like Pokemon?" I asked.

Anything to change the subject and stop thinking about Lori with my Logan.

_Yer Logan?_

_He's **mah** friend._

"Yeah." Tanner glanced over at me, still trying to act casual. "Do you?"

"Ah have the first three games."

"None of the DS games?"

"Nah. Ah jus' have a gameboy, an' Ah like the original generation better."

"What's your favorite starter?"

"Pikachu."

"Not counting Yellow."

"Then...Bulbasaur."

"Charizard's better."

"He's screwed against rock type. And he's not even a dragon, technically."

Tanner huffed. "He should be!"

"I know, right?!"

We grinned at each other for a moment before we both looked away and stared at our pots. The sauce and noodles were almost done, and I could hear Sam asking questions again. I called for him to come in and help set the table before Logan could get too fed up. Tanner and I took the pots off the burners, and it actually smelled pretty good.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, most important things first: Charizard should totally be classified as fire/dragon. He is literally the epitome of a Western style dragon. That is all.**

**Next, slight miscalculation of how long it's going to take TBH to catch up to BBW. I'll try to get us there as soon as possible, and once it is, I'll start updating both on Mondays and Fridays. I'll let you know when that's coming up, because it will happen.**

**And finally, another plea for more reviews. Seriously, I think I got like three or four for the last chapter. I hate authors who say shit like, I'll update again when I get X amount of reviews, and I'll never do that to you, but reviews feed plot bunnies! So take pity...**


	15. For-Fucking-Ever

No one really talked at dinner. Tanner and I might have had a slight moment earlier, but we were all hungry. Even Sam stayed quiet and shoveled in spaghetti. After dinner, Tanner put Elizabeth and Sam to bed while Logan ran out to the truck to get a duffel bag with our pajamas and a spare change of clothes. He came back inside and led me upstairs to the guest room. I pulled some sheets and blankets out of the linen closet and made the bed. Logan leaned against the doorway and watched. He did offer to help at the beginning, but I said no. When he made the bed at a motel, he made it military style, tight enough to bounce a quarter off of it. I always tore up the blankets and kicked and flopped around anyway, so I didn't see the point in making it so nice if I was just going to ruin it.

I finished making the bed, and it really was...decent. Logan raised an eyebrow at it, and I stuck my tongue out at him. He ruffled my hair as I brushed past him on my way to the bathroom. He was still waiting for me when I came back out after changing and brushing my teeth. He stayed until I hopped into bed, and he turned the light off for me as he left. Logically, I knew Logan was pretty badass, especially after seeing him fight in the pawnshop parking lot, but the truth of the matter is that the big bad Wolverine just tucked me into bed.

I giggled and thrashed around until I got comfortable. I didn't expect to fall asleep any time soon, but dealing with so many new people must have worn me out because I fell asleep in less than an hour.

* * *

It had been thundering since before I fell asleep, but it was a snarl that woke me up. It scared me for a moment before I saw Logan standing at the doorway. I relaxed then and smiled. I'd actually been hoping he would sneak up here and sleep with me. We shared a bed so often that I couldn't sleep very well if he wasn't there.

I yawned. "Hey, sugah. What's wrong?"

I pulled back the covers when he stayed silent, and he crawled in with me. He hugged me, and I pulled him closer, running my fingers through his hair. Thunder rumbled again, and he growled against my neck.

"Yah don't like the thunder?" I asked.

"Don't like the lightening. Thunder's just a reminder." He mumbled into my hair.

Lightening struck again, and Logan punched the mattress. I could feel him shaking, and I didn't think he realized he was making the same whining noise he did when he had a nightmare. I rubbed his arm and took his hand in mine. He tried to pull it back, but I linked our fingers together and smoothed my other hand through his hair again.

"Shh, sugah. Jus' relax." I whispered.

Another lightening strike came and went, but he'd stopped shaking so badly.

"Whah don't yah lahke the lah-ghtening?" I asked, fighting against sleep.

"...been hit before. Twice." He muttered.

"How'd yah manage that?"

"Claws are metal. So're my bones."

"Alluv'em?"

He just grunted and nuzzled my neck again. Wolvie stayed quiet in my mind. He hated talking about Logan, and he refused to give me any hints about how they'd ended up with metal bones, so I asked Logan instead. He muttered that he didn't know, and I felt bad for pressing him, so I let it drop. We stayed quiet for a while, and I'd almost started to drift back to sleep when he asked me to sing.

I laughed quietly. "Sugah, Ah can't carry a tune tah save mah lahfe."

"Mmm, try."

He kept rubbing his cheek against my shoulder, and I kept one hand intertwined with his and the other idly running through his hair. Touching him was so nice. Comforting, like...well, I didn't have anything else to compare it to. No one had ever really snuggled me before, not even when I had been little. We might like our space when we were trying to sleep, but Logan was definitely a snuggler. Especially now. Honestly, I usually didn't like even him to sleep so close to me, but I figured these were special circumstances. But special circumstances or not, I still couldn't sing.

"All Ah know is gospel." I said, trying to discourage him.

He huffed in disgust.

_C'mon kit, jest a little? Yer voice makes us feel better._

I sighed. "Well...there's a song Ah heard on the radio once. Ah loved it, but Ah don't know if yah'd lahke—"

"Just sing, kid."

I gave in to Logan and Wolvie's demands and tried humming. I remembered the song started out with her humming, and it would help me try to get the tune right. I managed to hum something that sounded similar to how the song really went and tried singing. Logan calmed down the more I sang, even though I knew I was mangling it pretty badly. I just liked the lyrics.

"We'd be so less fragile, if we're made from metal, and our hearts from iron, and our minds from steel..."

I guess Logan got the metal part. We could each coat our heart in iron, and I'd gladly take a mind of steel. I needed it with all the voices crammed inside.

"If we built an armour, for our tender bodies, could we love each other, would we strive to feel..."

I wished I had armour, but all I had was an old jacket and a worn pair of gloves. And my skin. I would always have my skin, but the difference between that and armour was that I could take the latter off. I'd always be protected by skin, nice and safe and trapped.

"You want three wishes: One to fly the heavens, one to swim like fishes..."

I sighed and moved my hand down to rub Logan's back. I really did like this song, but the storm just set the mood for a depressing night. I was glad Logan had come up to stay the night with me.

"You want never bitter, and all delicious..."

I tried to think happy thoughts. I didn't want to get all depressed and angsty over a little song, especially when I was supposed to be comforting Logan. He might be able to smell it if I got too sad, so I concentrated on delicious things...like chocolate. I could definitely be happy with all delicious chocolate.

"And a clean conscience, and all it's blisses..."

But it was hard to force myself to be happy, even with Logan holding me. I wondered if he had held Lori in the room next door the last time he had been here. I could never have a clean conscience. I was too jealous and selfish for that. And I still had Cody's metaphorical blood on my hands, his voice in my head.

"You want one true lover with a thousand kisses..."

Just to be able to kiss someone without putting them in a coma. Christmas was coming up though. Maybe I could catch Logan under the mistletoe.

"You want soft and gentle and never vicious..."

Touch that didn't hurt, the kind that Logan gave me.

"And then one you're saving for a rainy day..."

Logan sighed against my neck one last time and started snoring. It was right in my ear, but at this point, I was already awake. I doubted I'd be able to fall back asleep again soon anyway.

"In case your lover ever takes his love away." I whispered the last line.

The line actually said _her _love. Logan wasn't my lover, and I blushed at the thought. The sentiment was still the same though. He might leave Lori behind and take me with him, but it would only be so long before the tables turned. I couldn't imagine him letting him tag along forever, always taking care of me, for years and years even when he was still young and beautiful and I wasn't.

_Dammit kit, we said forever. That means for-fuckin'-ever._

_But what if he meets someone and wants to—_

_Logan ain't never gonna settle down. And even if he did, ya'd still be our packmate._

_But—_

_For-fuckin'-ever, kit._

I smiled into the darkness. _ For-fuckin'-evah._

* * *

"Ya want some, kid?"

I gaped at the table set out before me. One of those really old, long dining room tables, set up with silver platters and everything. And every dish on it was chocolate. Cake, pie, pudding, brownies, ice cream...every type of dessert I could imagine. And Logan sat at the head of the table, leaning back casually in his chair. A single other chair sat next to him, and he nudged it toward me with his foot.

I sat down and nodded mutely.

Logan smirked. "Ya gotta ask fer it, kid."

"Ah...Ah want..." I stuttered.

Where to start? And why didn't Logan have a shirt on? Not that I was complaining about either of those "problems." Not that they were really even problems.

"I know whatcha want." He drawled.

Something in his tone made me blush. Or maybe it was the look in his eye, or the way he was still smirking at me like maybe I was the real dessert. I swallowed and nodded again, not really sure what I even just agreed to, but it seemed to make Logan happy. He dipped a spoon in a bowl of chocolate pudding and offered the spoon to me. I reached out to take it from him, and he growled softly at me. I slowly lowered my hand, and his growl turned to one of approval. I didn't know how I could tell the difference, but I could, and his growl nearly turned into a purr when I leaned forward and took the spoon into my mouth without using my hands.

The pudding tasted like absolute heaven, but better. I think I might have moaned a little, because Logan chuckled and scooped up another bite. I let him feed me a few more bites, and at some point my eyes must have drifted shut from pure bliss. I opened them again in surprise when I felt the spoon smear across my lips and onto my cheek, leaving a trail of pudding across my face.

"Oops." Logan whispered, not the least bit sorry.

I started to raise my hand so I could wipe it off, but Logan quirked an eyebrow at me. I put my hand back in my lap, and he smirked again.

"Good girl."

Before I could think of a reply, he leaned closer and licked my cheek. I froze in shock, letting him lap the pudding off my face, a few of his licks even brushing across my lips. My face practically burned with heat from my blush. Logan leaned back, still smirking at me. But when he tried to feed me another bite, I grabbed his wrist. His eyes narrowed, but he allowed me to take the spoon from him. I turned it around and offered it to him, hoping he wouldn't notice the way my hand trembled.

He did notice, but he grinned reassuringly and let me feed him the pudding to him. His lips closed around the spoon and dragged the pudding into his mouth. I swallowed again, my mouth suddenly dry. I looked down, away from his gorgeous face, and scooped out some more pudding. This time when I fed him, his tongue went out first, licking the bottom of spoon before pulling it past his lips. My cheeks felt even hotter. In fact, my entire body felt hot. It tingled oddly, especially in my stomach. Like hunger, but not.

I tried to give him another bite, but I got too distracted by my thoughts and my hands suddenly decided to stop cooperating. I fumbled with the spoon, nearly dropping it, and smeared pudding across Logan's neck.

"Oops?" He teased.

I nodded and looked around frantically for a napkin. Logan leaned closer to me, close enough that I could feel his breath against my hair and smell the chocolate pudding on his neck.

"Aren't ya gonna get that, kid?"

My breathing got shallow and the room got hotter. My head spun, and then I leaned forward, before I even knew what I was doing. I touched the pudding with just the tip of my tongue, not even pressing hard enough to touch Logan. He cupped my hand with his hand and gently pushed me closer. I lapped at the pudding, almost in a daze as I tasted chocolate, sweat, and...Logan. Even after I had licked away all the chocolate, I stayed pressed close to him with my forehead resting against his shoulder as I panted and tried to figure out why my body felt so warm and achy.

Logan slid both hands along my jaw and pulled my head back. We locked eyes, and for one crazy moment, I thought he would kiss me. I nearly started hyperventilating, and he kissed my forehead instead.

"It's alright, kid." He whispered, drawing back again. "We don't have to stay here."

"Here?" I repeated dumbly.

Logan nodded. "We can do something else. There's a couch over there. You can play your game, and I can rub your feet again. Or you can paint. I know how you like to draw me."

I blushed, but not as bad as before. Logan dropped one of his hands so I could turn my head and look around. We were in a white, open space. One area had an extremely comfortable looking couch that had a TV and coffee table set up nearby. There were all kinds of games on the table, even a few board games. And across from that, I could see an easel with all kinds of paints and brushes on a table beside it.

"We can do whatever you want, kid. I'm just here for you." He said.

I was dreaming. Obviously. I should have known before. I almost always knew when I was dreaming. I looked back at the table of chocolate, then at Logan. He smiled and ruffled my hair before dropping his other hand.

"This...this has been really nice. Really..._really_ nice." I mumbled.

He chuckled again and winked at me.

I looked back over at the easel. "But Ah think Ah'd jus' like to paint now...if that's okay with yah."

Logan shrugged. "Sure thing, kid."

He picked me up before I could reply, sweeping me into his arms and carrying me over to the easel. I laughed, and he set me down then handed me a brush. I changed the whiteness behind him into a snowy Canadian forest and told him how to pose, which he did with a lot of fake scowling and good natured teasing. I put the finishing touches on the painting just when a loud thump woke me up.

* * *

It took me a minute to place where I was, at Lori's house instead of a motel. The thump that woke me up didn't happen again, so it had probably just been one of the boys messing around and banging on something. I got up, but Logan was using the shower in the upstairs bathroom, and I decided that skipping one shower wouldn't hurt me. I just changed into my new set of clothes from the duffel bag instead and went downstairs. Lori was actually up, and I offered to help her fix breakfast. Not really out of the goodness of my heart though. I was starving, and it looked like if I didn't help her, it could be a while. She said the best way I could help her would be to occupy the boys though, so she kicked us all out into the living room.

We ended up having a heated discussion about Charizard, the new generation of Pokemon, and which type was the best. Then things got really intense when we started talking about double types, like the effect a water type Pokemon using a water type move on a ground and rock type Pokemon, which actually turns out to be six times as effective as a regular attack.

I take my Pokemon very seriously.

Logan came down after a while, and we had to end our debate since he probably wouldn't understand any of it, and I was honestly about to punch Tanner in the face. I turned to smile at Logan instead, concentrating on him instead of Tanner's inability to see that a ghost and dark type Pokemon was the ultimate combination because three types aren't even effective against them and none are super effective.

I took a deep, calming breath. "Yah up early this morning, shuggs. It's only ten."

"Figured I'd get a head start on the car." Logan said with a shrug.

"Can you really fix it? Where'd you learn to fix cars? Have you ever been arrested before?" Sam asked.

Lori walked in and frowned at him. "Sam! Don't pester the poor man, he just woke up. Breakfast will be ready in twenty."

She smiled at Logan, but he looked at me. I gave him another smile—take that Lori—and he only nodded at her as he walked off to the garage. Sam, Tanner, and I waited until the grown ups were out of the way before we got back to business, abandoning our discussion in favor of haggling over trades.

We each made a few trades back and forth, just evolving Pokemon instead of actually trading for keeps. Sam and Tanner only had one gameboy between them, so although they had connectors, they hadn't actually found someone else to trade with yet. We had just finished up making our real trades when Lori called out that breakfast was ready. Tanner volunteered to go tell Logan I saved my game. Sam followed after him, I went out to the garage too as soon as I finished. I didn't trust Logan and Tanner to be able to play nice. I was right too, because I walked up just in time to hear Tanner calling Logan an asshole. You'd think the kid would learn not to poke bears...er, wolves...with sticks.

"I thought you told Rogue you wouldn't cuss." Sam said.

Tanner shrugged. "She said I could in the garage. So if I wanna call him an asshole, I will."

He obviously hadn't seen me walking up behind Sam, because he jumped a bit when he saw me.

I glared at him and put my hands on my hips. "Ah also said yah would be eating motor oil if yah did. So are yah gonna shape up and help set the table or are yah gonna grab a bottle an' start gargling?"

"Yeah, I'm comin'." He mumbled.

"Thank yah. Oh, and sugah? Wash up first." I told Logan.

Not that I minded seeing him smudged with grease and oil. It was actually a pretty good look for him. But I doubted Lori would want him smearing grim all over her furniture and silverware.

Logan grinned at me. "Yes ma'am."

His smile reminded me a little too much of how he had looked at me in my weird chocolate dream, and I blushed. I turned around and walked away, hoping he missed seeing it. Sam and Tanner followed after me, and Tanner tried to be sly by flipping Logan off behind my back. I could see him move his hand behind him in the hallway mirror though, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what he was doing.

"And Tanner, yah best put that finger away 'fore yah lose it." I said.

Sam mumbled something about "mommy eyes" and I tried not to shudder. The boys were alright to hang out with for a bit, and I was used to babysitting, but I couldn't imagine having my own. I still wanted to do things with my life, like go to Alaska and just be selfish if I wanted to. I was so glad I didn't end up like some girls in my hometown had, pregnant in high school.

Logan still hadn't followed after us, and I called back for him. A moment later, I heard the car hood slam, followed by the door. Someday, I would have to teach that man how to close doors quietly.

But first, breakfast.

* * *

**A/N: I cut it off here because it seemed like a good stopping point. Next Wednesday, I'll try to wrap up the Lori thing and then on Friday, I'll give Marie's POV on the Christmas special. Once that's done, BBW and TBH should be caught up. Sorry it's taken so long guys.**

**I hope you all liked Marie's sort of almost sexual dream about Logan. The Wolverine feeding you chocolate? Fuck yeah, sexiest non sex thing I could think of. She'll develop all her feelings and whatnot for Logan until she hits fifteen after several more chapters, and that's when I'll probably up the rating to M for Marie's own dirty thoughts. ;)**

**Thanks for sending in all of the reviews! They really helped, especially since I got my first flame...like I give a fuck. *secretly hides in room and hyperventilates***


	16. Math Dragons

Logan actually prayed at breakfast. Him saying Grace was surprising, but him thanking God for me was shocking. He didn't seem like the type to thank God for anything, and Wolvie's insistence that we were forever echoed in my head. I had to remind him about the Amen, but other than that, he did great. Lori noticed and smiled at him.

"That was very nice, Logan." She said.

Logan just grunted and kept eating, so Lori turned her attention to me next.

"So Rogue, I heard you talking to Sam and Tanner. You like Pokemon too?" She asked.

I swallowed my bite of eggs and nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Logan bought meh a gameboy with the first three games."

"I'm surprised he knew what that was." She said in between her own bites.

I accidentally giggled at the memory of him demanding if that's how I watched my porn. "He didn't."

Logan nudged my leg under the table, and I went back to eating, deliberately ignoring Lori's raised eyebrow. If he didn't want her to know, I wouldn't tell. And anyway, I liked the thought that we had inside jokes.

"How does the car look?" Lori asked Logan when she couldn't get anything else out of me.

He grunted again. "Same."

"Will it take long to fix?"

"Hour."

"What's the matter with it?"

Logan finally bothered to chew and swallow his food, then took a long drink of orange juice. Lori waited patiently for him to explain, but I doubted she'd get much more out of him. It was just too early for him to be talking, and she hadn't even made him any coffee. I always got him coffee.

_Ain't ya jest a good little kitling?_

_Yeah, Ah am._

Wolvie and I grinned at each other in my head, and I let a real smile slip out when Logan just said the word engine and went back to eating. That was rude though, and we were guests after all, so I nudged his leg back. He ignored it and kept eating, and everyone fell silent after that, too busy eating to talk.

"Polly wants a tea party." Elizabeth announced.

Logan immediately stood up and retreated to the garage. Elizabeth turned and looked at me pleadingly as he left me to fend for myself with three small children and their disapproving mother, the traitor.

"Tea party, Ro?" Elizabeth asked.

"Sure, Lizzie. After breakfast though." I promised.

Sam looked up. "I thought we were going to play Pokemon."

"You still have homework to do." Lori reminded him.

"Do you have homework, Rogue? What school do you go to?" He asked me.

"No. Ah don't go to school." I said, staring down at my plate and hoping he'd drop it.

"Really? Why don't your parents make you?"

"Sam!" Lori snapped.

Sam looked blankly at her, like he really didn't understand why he was getting in trouble. And I knew he didn't mean to be mean or anything, he was just overly curious. Lori shot me an apologetic look, and I gave her a tight smile.

"It's alrahght. Mah parents kicked me out, so Ah live with Logan now, an' he travels too much for meh to go to school." I said.

Sam nodded, but I could tell he was about to launch into another round of questions, when Tanner kicked him beneath the table.

"Hey, doofus. You still need help on your math homework?" He asked Sam.

Sam turned to him, distracted for the moment. "Yeah! We're doing fractions, and I hate fractions. They're ugly, like orange. There's no point. Orange just connects yellow to red, and we could all just use decimals instead of fractions."

"Please excuse meh." I said, standing up.

I needed to get out of there. Not only because I didn't feel like answering any more questions, but what Sam had said was actually starting to make sense, and that was just scary. I set my dirty plate and cup in the sink, then grabbed a new plate and heaped some more food on it for Logan. He always had seconds, if not thirds, and he was probably getting hungry down in the garage.

"Logan?" I called, kicking the door open with my foot.

I saw him leaning over the car, the hood popped and grease already smeared across his hands again. I walked down the steps into the garage and handed him the plate. He set it on top of his other, empty plate next to a toolbox. I waited for a hug or even just a thank you, but he stayed over by the work bench, hands shoved in his pockets.

"Thanks, kid." He finally said, not even looking at me.

I nodded and turned around, trying to convince myself his attitude was because of the early morning. I only got halfway across the garage before I heard him call my name. I paused, but he caught my arm before I could turn back to him, and he pressed against me.

"Thanks fer the food and uh...singing fer me." He muttered.

_Told ya it made him feel better._

I placed my hand on top of his, where it rested on my stomach. He stayed close, his head bent next to my ear, and I tilted my head to the side. I knew how he liked to rest his head on my shoulder. It had something to do with all that Alpha male crap and baring my neck in submission. I trusted Logan though, so I didn't mind, especially since it made him happy.

"Yah welcome, Logan." I replied.

He rubbed his cheek against my neck one last time and then took a step back. I turned around fully to face him again with a smile, and he leaned against the car with his hands shoved back into his pockets.

"Ah know yah'll probably be done before then, but Lori invited us for lunch." I said.

"You want to stay until then?" He asked.

"Yeah." I nodded. "But Ah don't want to stay much longer than that."

"Alright, kid. We'll leave after lunch and be in the next town by nightfall." He said.

"Rooooo...tea party!" Elizabeth shouted from somewhere inside.

I gave Logan a "duty calls" apologetic grin and waved as I walked away. Logan had never bothered with goodbyes whenever he left, and when he was done talking, that was it, so I knew he wouldn't mind when I walked out like that.

"On mah way, Lizzie!" I called, stepping back into the house.

I saw Lori in the kitchen first, cleaning up after our breakfast. I handed her the last of the plates from the table, but Elizabeth appeared in the doorway. She skidded to a stop and looked me up and down. Her critical gaze actually made me feel a bit uncomfortable, but I kept my head high and my smile on.

"You can't come in that." She declared.

I looked down at my jeans and sweater. They were the new clothes Logan had bought me for my birthday, but they were simple and practical for the weather, not fashionable.

"What should Ah wear?" I asked.

Just a few more hours. I could humor one small girl for just a few more hours, have some lunch, and then we would be gone.

"Princesses wear dresses." She said.

I gaped a bit. "Ah'm a princess?"

"Not with that attitude." She scoffed.

"Be nice, Lizzie." Lori said, glancing over at us.

"It's okay. Ah think Ah have a dress Ah can wear if yah can give meh a minute." I said.

"Five." Elizabeth said, staring me down.

"...be rahght back."

I caught myself hurrying up the stairs, as if I cared whether or not I arrived late to an imaginary tea party and felt silly. I remembered how loud Elizabeth got when something upset her though, so I shook it off and kept up the pace. I thought I had seen my blue dress shoved down in the bottom of the duffel bag Logan brought in. He probably grabbed it and put it in there by mistake, thinking it was a nightgown or something. It was one of the few clothes I had left over from the summer. I had thrown most of the others away after Logan bought me new clothes.

I changed into the dress and even combed my fingers through my hair in a vain effort to try to tame it a little. As an afterthought, I grabbed the bottle of pink nail polish I'd got too. Painting each other's nails was something normal girls did, right? I didn't especially look forward to Elizabeth painting mine, but I thought it might be fun if I could paint hers.

She stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting impatiently when I hurried back downstairs. She gave me another once over, then sniffed and led me into the living room. I followed after her, and we sat down next to the coffee table. I tucked my legs beneath me, and she placed Polly in a special chair that was just a little too tall, so the doll seemed to preside over us.

"Is Polly the queen?" I asked.

Elizabeth looked at me like I was stupid. "I'm the queen. Polly is the king."

"Polly's a boy?" I blurted out.

I took a second look at the doll. It had short brown hair and a face stitched on, but it didn't wear any clothes. And with a name like Polly, I had just assumed it was a "girl" doll.

"Yes."

Elizabeth poured me a fake cup of tea. She must have set up the table while I changed upstairs because it had a teapot, three cups, and three tiny plates.

"Why is his name Polly?"

"Because he likes it."

"Okay."

That was as good a reason as any to name a doll. Elizabeth raised her cup and took a sip with her pinky finger sticking out, and I followed suit.

"So Ah'm a princess?" I asked.

"Yes. You're our guest in our castle." Elizabeth answered.

"Oh, so Ah'm jus' visiting."

"Mm-hmm."

"Do Ah get a prince?"

Elizabeth gave me the look again. "The princes are busy fighting math dragons."

I winced in sympathy. "Math dragons are mean."

"So are the princes." Elizabeth said with a shrug.

"It must be hard to be a queen with two princes." I said.

Elizabeth stayed silent and took another sip of imaginary tea.

"Since Ah'm new to yeh kingdom, could yah tell meh about it?" I asked.

She looked up at me cautiously, then smiled when she saw I wasn't kidding. I thought Sam had been a chatterbug, but Elizabeth put even him to shame. I spent the next half hour listening to her tell me all about her kingdom, and I mean. All. About. It. Wolvie retreated deep inside my mind, running away almost as fast as Logan had. He didn't like that comparison, and he sulked in a corner in silence. I rolled my mental eyes and stuck my tongue out at him. Finally, Lori came back in and got Elizabeth for her name, which she went along with surprisingly quietly. Lori said she was going to lay down for a bit myself, but to let her know if either of the boys started bothering me.

I felt kind of bad for the entire family. Lori for being a single mother with three children and a business. Tanner for having to be the man of the house at eleven years old. Sam for not having a dad, just a stressed out mother, a tough older brother, and a much younger sister. And Elizabeth for trying to deal with two older brothers.

But everyone had their problems, myself included. I guess the "perfect family" didn't exist, even for these normal, middle class humans. Maybe even if I hadn't been a mutant...well, my family hadn't exactly been perfect before Cody. Lori's family wasn't perfect, but at least they didn't eat separate dinners in separate rooms.

I got up and shook myself out of my thoughts. It really was too early to be thinking deep thoughts. That was some three in the morning crap to be thinking about, and I wasn't trying to explore my family issues right now. I just wanted to play some Pokemon, so I wandered around until I found Sam and Tanner's room. Sam had finished his homework but fallen asleep, and Tanner was working on his. I ran away even faster than both Wolvie and Logan, making some lame excuse about cleaning up the living room. Math dragons are really mean.

With nothing better to do, I decided to paint my nails. I got some napkins and dug around in the trash until I found an old newspaper, then laid it out over the coffee table to catch any drips or spills. My gameboy and Tanner's sat at the other end, safely away from the nail polish. I decided to paint my toenails first so if it turned out really bad, they would at least be covered up by my shoes.

_Hey, Wolvie...it's safe to come out now._

_Ya wanna talk, kit? _He sounded suspicious and still a little put out over the running away comment.

_Yeah. Wanna have a sleepover?_

_No._

_Please?_

_I'm a wolf, not yer fuckin' lapdog._

_Ah jus' want yah to keep meh company. It's not like Ah'm gonna paint yah toenails or anything._

I almost had my big toe done, but then I got distracted and smeared nail polish on my skin. I sighed and used a napkin to wipe it off as carefully as I could while I waited for Wolverine to make up his mind.

_C'mon, Wolvie. Ah'll even let yah pick what to talk about._

He stayed quiet while I finished up my toe. The polish went on a little lighter than I thought it would, so I decided I'd put on a second coat after I'd finished.

_...how 'bout the weather._

Since I was alone, I allowed myself to laugh out loud.

_That's what yah wanna talk about?_

_Ain't like I get a lot of practice talkin' t'people, kit._

The next few toes were easier, and I only got a little bit of polish on my skin that I easily wiped off with the napkin. I hadn't dripped nail polish on the newspaper either, but I wasn't going to take any chances with Lori's coffee table.

_What do yah talk to Logan about?_

_Food, fightin', and fuckin'. And he usually ignores me anyway._

I grinned, pleased that I had started to get the hang of it, but my smile dimmed at Wolvie's reply. I knew he and Logan didn't get along, but that sounded really lonely.

_Alrah-ght. What's yah favorite food._

_Logan likes steak._

_Ah didn't ask about Logan._

Wolvie got quiet again, and I started on my left foot while I waited. Usually, I couldn't get him to shut up. But that was about what an idiot Logan was being, what I thought, or what he thought I should think. This was the first time I'd ever asked for his opinion directly, about something unrelated to any of that.

_Stuff with faces._

_What?_

_Cows and pigs and chickens. None of that leafy shit ya like._

_So yah only want to eat it if it had a face once?_

_Yeah._

I laughed again and put my brush back into the nail polish, finished with the first coat. Wolvie would be a vegan's nightmare. Or maybe vegans were Wolvie's nightmare. I grinned and inspected my newly painted toes. It looked like my right foot had tried enough that I could start on a second coat.

_What about lamb? Yeh a wolf, so yah should like lamb._

_If it's meat, I'll eat it._

_Ah'll see if Ah can get Logan to take us somewhere a nice, a place that has lamb. Then the two of yah can try it. Ah bet yah'll like it._

_Sure._

His voice sounded gruff and disinterested, but I could feel him in my head, and I knew how happy my suggestion made him. It was kind of cute, and I giggled again. I started on my left foot's second coat, and Wolvie and I fell into companionable silence. The whole house was quiet, with just about everyone asleep. Tanner still hadn't come out of his room, and Logan was still in the garage, so I had the house pretty much to myself. I propped up my feet on a couch pillow once I'd finished and considered watching some TV, when Logan came back inside.

I grinned widely as an evil plan formed in my bored, sadistic little mind. "Logan! Yeh done!"

"Hey, kid. Whatcha doin'?" He asked, unaware of the danger.

I struggled to keep my smile innocent and wiggled my toes at him. He stepped closer, drawn in by the flash of bright color. I felt like a venus flytrap. Wolverine wavered between indignant irritation that I would dare to do this to his human and amusement at what Logan would soon endure. Amusement won out, and once I got the go ahead from Wolvie, I committed to the plan.

"Wolvie an' Ah are having a sleepover." I said.

Not a lie. Wolvie had sort of agreed to be at my fake sleepover.

Logan did his eyebrow thing at me. "In the middle of the day?"

"Well, everyone else is asleep. Lori put Elizabeth down for her nap, and Sam followed her, and then Lori went to lay down for a few minutes. But that was half an hour ago, so Ah think she'll be out until it's time to make lunch. Tanner is in his room doing homework. And besides, Ah've never gotten to have a sleepover before, so Ah'll take what Ah can get." I explained.

Logan nodded, but still looked vaguely confused. He probably didn't even understand the concept of a sleepover. Good. He would be unprepared then.

"Do yah like 'em?" I asked, distracting him with my toes again.

"Uhh..."

His look of confusion deepened as he tried to think of something to say. I knew from the way Wolvie had regarded my toenails that he probably didn't care one way or another what color I'd painted them.

"Ah think they're dry now. Yah don't mind the smell too bad, do yah?" I continued.

"Nah. Ain't pleasant, but I don't mind." He said after taking off his jacket.

"Here, let me help." I offered when he sat down and reached for his boots.

I kneeled down in front of him, where he sat on the couch. He made a grumbling noise but didn't protest when I undid his 's right, sugar. Just relax. Let your guard down. I took his boots off and set them neatly in a corner by the door while he found a hockey game on TV. I grabbed my gameboy off the coffee table and sat on the other end of the couch, far enough away that he wouldn't feel cornered, but close enough to strike when I saw an opportunity. I could feel him glancing curiously at my dress, but he didn't ask about it, and I started up my game.

Soon enough, Logan was as engrossed in his game as I was in mine. If I only pretended to play, he'd probably notice and get suspicious, so I played for real, but kept my plan in the back of my mind. I stretched out my feet into his lap, but he didn't complain. When I got ambushed by my rival though, he grabbed my ankles and held my feet down. I looked up in surprise, then realized I'd been kicking every time my Pokemon attacked, like it might help in the game. Stupid rock type. But then he started rubbing my feet, which actually helped calm me down a lot. It was hard to feel stressed when getting a foot rub, even if I was also getting my butt kicked.

His thumbs dug into my heels, hitting all the right places. My feet had been kind of cold too, and his hands were just as warm as the rest of him. The foot rub slowly wound down though, and when I sneaked a glance at him, I saw his eyes drooping shut. It looked like even Logan wanted a nap, and I had to press my lips together to keep from smirking. Soon, it would be time.

I waited until Logan fell asleep, and then I waited another five minutes just to be sure, using what I'd learned from Wolvie about breathing patterns to be sure he'd really fallen asleep. I eased my feet out of his grip as gently as I could and sat up. He didn't stir, so I slid off the couch, onto the floor in between the couch and the coffee table. When he still didn't wake up, I grabbed the bottle of nail polish and shuffled over to him on my knees. Getting his sock off was tricky, and I had to stop several times and wait for him to settle back into his nap, but eventually I got it off. I waited for another minute after that too, just to be sure, then slid the polish covered brush across his big toenail. He must have somehow felt it though, or maybe smelled the polish, because he twitched and opened his eyes.

"Fuck you doin', kid?" He slurred, voice thick with sleep.

I didn't have a reply. I honestly hadn't thought this far ahead, about what I would say when he found out what I'd done, so I just mumbled out an uhm as I tried to think. His eyes flickered over to the opened bottle, then down to his foot. He looked back up at me, and I smiled nervously.

"What. The. Fuck."

He didn't yell or shout; he didn't even whisper. He said each word in a completely normal voice, like he was ordering breakfast. Eggs. Bacon. Toast. I gulped and tried to answer back in an equally casual voice, but it all came out all once instead.

"Well, uh Ah told yah Ah was having a sleepover. An' it's jus' that Ah nevah really got to have one before 'cause Ah never had any girl friends, an' Ah jus' always wanted..." My voice gave out at the look in his eyes.

"Do I look like one of ya girl friends?" He demanded.

"Well, no. Ah jus'...um, we...yah are mah friend. Rahght, Logan?" I asked, looking between my hands and his face.

He shifted and cleared his throat, and for one desperate second I thought he wouldn't agree. Then he hauled me back up onto the couch next to him.

"Yeah, but I ain't a girl." He muttered.

"Ah know yeh a man." I rushed to reassure him. "But Ah don't have any girl friends 'cause...well, yeh all Ah got, sugah. No one else is in here, so it's not lahke anyone would evah know! It'd be our secret, jus' between the two of us."

I finished up my little speech with a twitchy, hopeful smile. He scowled back at me, but he didn't immediately say no. I scooted a little closer and looked up at him from beneath my lashes.

"Please, Logan?" I asked.

He didn't say anything, just leaned back. But if he wasn't actually going to say no, then I would take it as a yes, so I jumped back down and picked the brush up again. He stared resolutely at the wall the entire time and refused to acknowledge what was happening, but he let me do it.

The Wolverine let me paint his toenails pink, and he would never live it down.

I made him wait for another ten minutes before he put his shoes back on so the paint wouldn't smear, but he got them on long before anyone else woke up. I cleaned up the living room in the meantime, until Lori came downstairs from her nap and got started on lunch. I went in to help her, and I could hear Logan turn the TV back on as I left. Lori worked on making the garlic bread while I washed dishes so we'd have clean ones. It didn't take long to heat up the rest of the leftover spaghetti, but then we had to clean up the kitchen, set the table, and get everyone into the dining room.

Lori tried to talk to Logan again while we ate, but he just grunted out one word answers at her until she gave up. Tanner and Sam and I traded a few Pokemon tips and secret items we'd discovered, and Elizabeth told us all about the tea part we'd had. Lori thanked me for playing with her and invited us both to stay a bit longer. I didn't like the way she looked at Logan when she said it though, and I made up some excuse about how we'd prefer to get going before the weather got bad again. I could tell Lori thought that was a lot of crap, which it was, but Logan didn't show any interest in staying and she didn't push it. He offered to shovel her driveway though, and then he got to retreat outside while I dealt with the rest of them.

I dropped my plate off in the sink and headed upstairs to change back into my jeans and sweater and get my backpack and the duffel bag. I had to stop off in the living room to get my gameboy and nail polish, and we had goodbyes all around. I was just starting to think I'd never make it out, when Logan stepped inside and asked if I was ready to go.

"Yeah. Thanks again for letting us stay." I told Lori.

The duffel bag nearly slipped off my arm, but Logan caught it just before it hit the floor, and took both bags from me. He slung the bag over his shoulder and held my backpack with one hand, guiding me out the door with his other.

"Thank you for helping so much for the kids. And thanks for fixing my car again, Logan. It was nice to see you again!" Lori called.

Elizabeth shouted goodbye after that, which meant that I had to say goodbye to her too, and then the boys had to join in, and it just never seemed to end. Lori even yelled out a second goodbye, just for Logan. He only nodded at her though and slammed my door shut for me. I grabbed the handle and focused on not turning around and glaring at her while Logan walked around to his side of the truck. He got in, threw our bags in the back, and started the truck. He looked over at me before putting it in gear though, like I might change my mind about leaving.

"Drive." I pleaded.

He raised an eyebrow, but I made a wincing, apologetic face. It got him to put it in gear though, and he pulled out of the driveway.

"They were nice an' all, it was jus' a lot, yah know?" I tried to explain.

I just didn't like having other people around us. We had to be careful, and I felt Lori's disapproval the entire time. We were finally gone though, so I took my gloves off and put my hand on top of his, the way I had been wanting to for the last two days.

He grinned at me. "Yeah. Ya like it when it's jest us?"

"Jus' yah an' meh, sugah." I repeated with a smile.

_For-fuckin'-evah, too._

* * *

**A/N: Yay, so the Lori thing is over with! On Friday, you'll get Marie's POV on the Christmas special. And then next week is when BBW and TBH will both update twice a week, on Monday and Friday, starting with the Wolverine chapter. I hope you're as excited as I am!**

**Super short a/n this time because I have to get to work, but hit me up with reviews if you have any questions about the updating schedule or you just think I'm amazing! ;)**


	17. Appreciate Dat Ass Christmas Special

Logan went out, and I stayed back at the hotel. That happened a lot. Not that I minded...exactly. I knew he went out and fought and drank and probably did other...grown up things...but that's also what paid for everything. Literally everything and anything I wanted, he bought for me; be it food, clothing, or pink nail polish. I knew he spoiled me absolutely rotten, so I tried not to resent it when he left.

It did get lonely though. I had Wolvie in my head, but I still missed Logan. And talking to one of the voices in my head just wasn't the same as actual human interaction. Even more than lonely, I got bored. I had my gameboy, my sketchbooks, a TV, and even the Harry Potter series, but I still got bored. It really was like an extended summer—that same feeling of having nothing to do all day that was so great at first, but turned into mind numbing boredom after a month and a half.

Only I had spent five months on the road and four months with Logan. Nine months. Three fourths of a year, with no school or chores or responsibilities. And yes, it got boring. So I did whatever I could to keep myself amused. First, it was sketching every facial expression Logan made. Next, I went through my Pokemon obsession. Still kind of going through it, actually. But once I realized Christmas was coming up, I started planning for that instead.

Logan gave me money for whatever I needed, and I usually bought food at whatever gas station we'd stopped at while he pumped. He never asked about the change either, so I had some money saved up. I felt kind of bad about planning to buy his Christmas presents with his own money, but I didn't have any of my own and I wanted to get him something. And I still had a great idea for what I could do for him that wouldn't cost any money. I'd been working on it for nearly a month now and I hoped he would like it.

At home, I was in charge of Christmas. Mom did all of the cooking and Dad did all of the religious stuff, but I insisted on having an actual Christmas. I wanted a tree with ornaments on it, I wanted the presents wrapped in actual wrapping paper, and I wanted the house to be properly decorated. So I would tell my dad what I wanted, usually one expensive gift and ten or so stocking stuffers; if he approved, he would give me his credit card. I'd order them online, wait for them to ship to our house, wrap them, set up the tree, decorate everything and then put the presents underneath. Christmas was my thing.

And I didn't want this year to be any different.

But it would be. First of all, I didn't have a home, just the motel room we happened to be staying in until Logan decided to move on. I wouldn't be able to get a proper evergreen tree either, and I couldn't afford to buy real decorations. I didn't even know if Logan actually did Christmas or if he would get me any presents at all. And it was okay if he didn't. He had already done so much for me already, that this Christmas I really only wanted to give back to him...and decorate. I really, really wanted to decorate. I liked Christmas decorations, and it would give me something to do that felt important.

I'd seen a Dollarama across the street when we pulled into the motel, and I thought I had enough money saved up to afford a few cheap decorations along with Logan's presents. It was just a two minute walk away and Logan didn't usually come back until two or three in the morning. So I tidied up the room, put on my gloves and jacket, and ran across the street.

The name Dollarama was pretty self explanatory and I figured it was like the Canadian version of a Dollar Store, so it probably sold cheap seasonal items. I guessed right, and the entire store was packed with tacky Christmas decorations. I tried to pick out the more subtle ones. I didn't want to overwhelm Logan with too much flashy stuff, so I tried to stick to a silver color palette that looked wintery with hints of red and gold to suggest Christmas. I avoided the religious stuff entirely. Logan wasn't the type, and it reminded me too much of home.

I found some tinsel in the right colors, but I didn't want to get too much of it since it was so shiny. Less was more. I went with some red and gold mardi gras beads instead. They were bright, but not reflective and tacky. I really wanted to have some sort of tree too, and I found some little ones about a foot high for three dollars. I picked one up, but when I turned it around, I saw the backside of it had been smashed and torn up. I searched through the rest of them, trying to find an undamaged one, when someone grabbed me from behind. I still had my gloves on, and I couldn't use my skin against him.

_Head, foot, lower shoulders, drop center of gravity, break his grip!_

Flashes of images and thoughts flashed through my head, forced into my mind by Wolverine, as my body responded with instincts I didn't know I had. I threw my head back and stomped on his foot, but the back of my head didn't connect with the satisfying crunch that was supposed to follow, and he kept his grip too tight for me to follow through with the last part. My toes just barely touched the floor, and I knew I needed to bring the heel of my foot up next to try to connect with his knee or groin, but he spun me around and shoved me against the shelf before I could try.

I heard a snarl and saw a flash of golden eyes, and then he shoved his face against my neck, using his height and weight advantage to trap me between the shelf and his body. But instead of terrifying me further, I actually calmed down. Only one man growled like that or had those eyes.

"It's okay. Ah'm here." I whispered.

Logan made a high, keening noise and pressed his body even closer, practically trying to meld himself into me. I couldn't let him touch my skin, but I didn't try to push him away or move my head. I hoped my jacket and hair would cover everything and carefully extended my neck.

"Ah'm sorry Ah scared yah."

He shuddered and pulled away just enough to give me some breathing room. One arm propped him up against the shelf and his other hand still gripped my hip, but at least he wasn't crushing me anymore. I stayed still and kept one hand on his shoulder and one on his chest.

"Didn't know where ya were." He mumbled.

Logan looked absolutely wrecked. His eyes hadn't completely faded back to hazel yet, and he took deep breaths through his mouth that shook his entire body. He had snow in his hair and melting on his shoulders, but he wasn't wearing his jacket. He looked like he had literally just ran out into the snow in whatever he had on.

"Ah'm so sorry. Ah jus' didn't think yah'd be back until later, an' Ah only needed a few things from across the street."

He nodded, looking at me but not really seeing me. I pressed closer and ran my hands up to where his neck and shoulders met, rubbing his skin gently while I spoke.

"But Ah'm here now, an' Ah'm alrahght."

He leaned forward, dropping his head against the side of mine. I didn't think he even knew he had started nuzzling me again or that his hand was rubbing my hip and pulling me even closer.

"Don't...don't ever..." He whispered brokenly into my ear.

Wolverine told me Logan and I were packmates, and I knew it was true. But some part of me hadn't really registered it. I was just some kid he'd picked up out of pity and loneliness. I honestly hadn't considered myself important enough to garner this sort of reaction, and now I'd hurt the only person who cared out of me out of sheer stupidity and carelessness.

I buried my face in his chest and tried not to cry. "Sorry, so sorry. Ah jus' got bored an' thought Ah...no, Ah didn't think, Ah should have left a note, Ah'm sorry."

He really cared about me, and for the first time since I left, I thought about how it must have looked to him. He came back, and I was just gone. Had he thought I had run away and left him? Or had he seen that all my stuff was still there and thought someone had taken me?

"S'okay, kid." He said, wrapping his arms back around me.

I sniffled and fought back my tears. He knelt down on my knees and hugged me again, and I pressed my face against his shoulder. My poor Logan.

"I'm sorry if I scared ya, grabbing ya like that." He rasped. "Ya were jest gone, and I...I panicked."

I just nodded, still sniffling and trying to calm down. Crying wouldn't help Logan any, and I knew it upset him. He let go, but brushed his hand through my hair and used it to cup my cheek.

"Ya alright now though." He said.

I nodded again to reassure him because I knew he was still worried. "Yeah. Ah'm okay."

His thumb hovered above my cheeks, but I didn't move my head away. I still felt bad for worrying him, but I wasn't scared anymore. He wiped my tears away, and I tilted my head for him, trying to give him a reassuring smile. He stood up and pulled me up with him, not letting go once I was standing. I let him keep an arm wrapped around me while I looked around for my basket. I must have dropped it when he grabbed me.

"Here you go, miss." An old lady said, offering me my basket.

I plastered on my fake smile and took it from her. "Thank yah."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to intrude. I just remember my kids." She gave Logan a companionable smile. "My youngest had a way of disappearing too. Scared the bejeesus out of me."

I could feel Logan tense beside me, and I tried not to let my own tension show. Why did everyone have to assume he was my father? Honestly, he could be my uncle, a much older brother, a friend of my family...anything but my dad.

"...yeah. Uh, thanks." He muttered, at least trying to be polite.

"Happy holidays!" I told her.

"You too. Be safe now." She called, finally leaving.

Maybe I shouldn't be so resentful. She had seemed like she really meant to be nice and helpful, I just didn't like other people making assumptions about me and Logan. I grabbed his hand, and he looked down at me.

"So...are we gonna leave now?" I asked nervously.

I hadn't finished my shopping or even gotten his presents yet, but I would understand if he wanted to get out of here and go back to the hotel.

"You got all of your stuff?"

"No, Ah...uhm..." I glanced down at my basket.

"Kid...Marie. I ain't mad at you, alright?" He said, making sure I looked back up at him.

I nodded in relief and squeezed his hand. He had every right to be upset with me, and I was glad he hadn't yelled or given me a lecture. The last time we had fought was when he tried to kick me out on my birthday, and I didn't want to fight with him again on Christmas.

"The fuck you doing with mardi gras beads?" Logan suddenly demanded.

Whelp. So much for not fighting.

"Ah wanted to decorate...for Christmas. It was gonna be a surprise." I didn't understand what the big freaking deal was until Wolvie provided me with images of women flashing various body parts in exchange for the beads. "Oh...oh! No, not like _that_ kind of mardi gras. Ah jus' thought they looked pretty."

To my surprise, Logan just sighed and said, "Okay."

"...okay?" I repeated.

"Yeah. You can decorate if you want, and we can stay here for the rest of the week. I was just gonna ask you if you wanted to do something for Christmas." He said.

I stared up at him. "Really, you don't mind?"

"Nah. You deserve to have a Christmas."

I practically threw myself at him, hugging his chest and whispering thank you. I had worried he wouldn't want to do Christmas even before my disappearing stunt, and I had been sure he wouldn't let me do it afterwards, even if he had said he wasn't mad. He ran his fingers back through my hair while I hugged him.

"Alright, get your shit." He grumbled.

I laughed at his tough guy act and picked out the tree I'd been looking at. Logan and I walked around for about ten more minutes while I finished up getting the rest of the decorations I would need. I didn't want to get his presents though, because I wanted them to be a surprise. I didn't think he would be okay with leaving me alone while I shopped for him, so I decided to wait and ask if he would drop me back off tomorrow. We checked out, and Logan escorted me back across the street to the hotel. I let the decorating wait for the morning since it was so late at night. All the emotional stress from the evening had really tired me out too, so I just went to bed. Logan slept in the bed with me, and despite him cuddling closer than we normally did, I quickly fell asleep.

* * *

Logan agreed to drop me off at the Dollarama the next morning, and he let me shop by myself while he waited in the truck. They were just cheap gifts, but I hoped the thought behind them would count for something. And I still had the special gift I'd been working on for him. After I finished shopping, Logan took me back to the hotel so I could work on decorating. He went out, saying he had "errands" to do. I hoped that meant Christmas shopping.

I was spoiled, and I wanted presents. Even if they were cheap, dollar store presents like I'd bought him, it would really mean a lot to me if he got me something. I had gotten him a pillow of his own, gloves so he could touch me, a bottle opener so he wouldn't have to use his claws, and I filled a wallet sized sketchbook up with watercolor paintings of Canadian landscapes that I thought he would enjoy.

Decorating the room didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. I was used to decorating an entire house and full sized Christmas tree, not one room. I still had to prepare and wrap Logan's gifts though, so I started working on that next. The first gift I had gotten him was a pillow. He always punched the motel pillows into submission, and I thought he might like one that didn't smell like other people's body odor. My enhanced smelling had slowly faded away, but it had been pretty awful smelling sweat, smoke, and sex in every motel room we stayed at. And I knew if it was bad for me, it had to be a lot worse for him.

I held the pillow and stared doubtfully at it. I wanted it to smell nice, and Wolvie had told me that my scent comforted them. I just didn't really know how to get the pillow to smell like me. I couldn't carry it around with me and hope my scent would magically rub off on it. I needed to keep it hidden from Logan when he came back. Wolvie sent me thoughts about rubbing it through my hair, where my scent was the strongest. That just seemed so weird though. And what if Logan didn't like it? What if he thought it was weird that I gave him a Marie-scented pillow? It sounded kind of crazy when I thought about it like that.

_Yer our packmate, and ya smell nice. Like family. He'll like it._

_But what if—_

_Quit yer bitchin', be a good little kitling, and do what I tell ya._

_Meanie._

I lifted the pillow and plopped it on my head, then cautiously moved it back and forth; I felt ridiculous. Wolvie urged me to keep going though, so I flipped my hair over the pillow and brushed it along my head. I worked at it for several minutes and even drug it over my neck since Logan always seemed to be smelling me there. I still felt pretty stupid about it, but maybe he would like it. I didn't want to wrap the pillow though, since it would be so obvious what it was. I decided to hide it in my backpack so it would keep my smell until I gave it to him.

I went ahead and wrapped up the gloves and bottle opener though, but I hesitated before I wrapped the little sketchbook. I had considered doing a self portrait, but I wasn't sure if I could actually do it. Trying to draw yourself was the absolute worst. Was my forehead really that big, and did my nose really look like that? I wanted to make my face angular, with a pointed chin, but I hadn't completely grown out of my baby fat and my cheeks were still a bit chubby. And what about my freckles?

I sighed and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I tried smiling. It looked fake. I tried a scowl. It wasn't fierce or ugly-pretty. It was just ugly. I shook my head back and forth to clear my thoughts and looked back. I would do it just like this. No real expression, just a simple portrait of my face. It would show my basic features, so he could remember what my eyes looked like and what color my hair was when I was...dead. And he wasn't.

The lighting spared no mercy, just glared down at me in all its florescent power. The mirror reflected dutifully, but my own insecurities colored what I saw. I took a deep breath and started sketching, ignoring the nasty whispers in my head the best I could. Wolverine kept the worst of them at bay, even growling at me when I unintentionally fell too deep into teenage angst. He had taken to doing that ever since I had that pity party in the dressing room, and I felt better. Less headaches, less nightmares, less anxiety, I just felt all around better.

Once I got the rough sketch down, I set up my paints on the sink counter and quickly put down the first layer of color that would be my skin. I planned out the shadows and finer features in my head while I waited for that to dry, then swirled around a few light brown blotches above and around the skin layer. I'd add more detail and shading to my hair later. First though, I worked on shading in my chin to distinguish it from my neck and adding the right shadows to suggest my nose. I added a hint of pink to it and along my cheeks, like I'd just come out of the cold.

I put down the lightest shad of red I could for my lips, carefully shading darker and darker until their shape became apparent. I didn't want to get them too red and look unnatural, and I stopped a little sooner than I thought I should. I would come back to them, and if they still looked like they needed to be darker, I'd add some more color. Less almost always ended up being more though, and it was easy to add more but nearly impossible to take it away, so I'd gotten in the habit of stopping one step before I wanted to.

My eyes were next, and I sketched them out in the lightest pencil I had. I'd left two blank spots without any skin color for them, so the colors wouldn't get muddled and so I could leave some white space for a realistic shine. The little spots of white did a lot for making eyes look real, something that I'd overlooked in my earlier sketches and paintings. I still needed to decide on what color I would actually use for them though. Depending on the lighting, they could look either brown or green, and most of the time they were just a hazel muddle.

I finally decided on taking a risk and going for the hazel color. I laid down a light green first, then carefully added spots of brown and even a little bit of yellow to help mix the two and add a bit of contrast. I lingered over the result, agonizing over the color. I wanted so badly to keep going, keep trying to make it look _just right_, but in the end I stuck to my "less is more" rule and stopped. I waited for it to dry, then carefully painted in my eyelashes last of all in black.

My hair was the last of all, mostly because I thought it would be even harder to do than my eyes. How could I capture the curls and the frizz? People with short or straight hair were so much easier to draw. Their hair was simple. Frizzy, curly hair on the other hand...I didn't even know where to begin. There was just so much of it. Finally, I settled on shading in the most obvious curls with a slightly darker shade of brown that had a hint of red in it. I let the lighter brown show through as my highlight color and carefully shaded around it in the thinnest strokes I could make. I kept layering with ultra thin strokes in between drying times until it began to resemble hair, then stopped.

It wasn't quite finished, but if I kept going, I probably wouldn't stop until it was too late. I started cleaning up all the spills and paint splatters instead and took a fifteen minute break after that to just look at the Christmas decorations and clear my mind. Then I went back and took a second look at it. I added just a bit more of a darker red shade and added some freckles, along with a few other touch ups, and declared it finished.

I hated it. I hated it so goddamn much. But that's what I went through after pretty much every really important painting, and I figured this one especially so since it was a self portrait. I finished cleaning up all the rest of the paints, made sure the paper was completely dry, and wrapped the sketchbook. I wouldn't want to look at it again until Christmas anyway. Another day to forget about it and stop critiquing would be good.

I had just climbing into bed and started playing Pokemon when Logan got back from his errands. He had three packages very poorly wrapped in newspaper.

"Hey, kid. Where do you want me to put these?" He asked, kicking the door shut behind him.

I couldn't help the goofy smile that spread across my face. "Next to the tree, with yours."

He grinned back at me and set the packages—my presents—on the dresser with the tree and his presents. I glanced down at my gameboy, and when I looked back up, he was sniffing the wrapped sketchbook.

"Logan!"

He turned around and raised an eyebrow, but I glared him down.

"No touching your presents!" I ordered.

He crossed his arms. "Why the hell not?"

"With you're senses, you'll probably figure out what they are, and that's cheating, so put it down!" I crossed my arms back and huffed at him.

He smirked, but set the present back down and took a look around.

"I like what you've done with the place kid, but...are these air fresheners?" He asked, poking the one hanging on the mini-tree.

I blushed. "That's how Sam decorated his Christmas tree."

"Who the fuck is Sam?" He demanded.

"Just a guy in a show I'm watching. I think there's a game on now though, if you'd like to watch that while I play." I offered, scooting over in the bed to make room for him.

He nodded and grabbed the remote. I moved over a little more and he kicked his boots off, then sat down next to me. I kept the covers wrapped around my legs, but he sat on top them. Logan was always warm though, so he probably didn't even need them.

We spent the rest of the day like that, and the day after that, we watched Christmas specials. I made Logan watch the entire Home Alone series, which I thought he might find slightly more tolerable than a sappy little kids movie. I even caught him under the mistletoe I put up. He only kissed me on the forehead though, and I didn't know if I was disappointed about that or not. It reminded me a bit too much of that weird chocolate dream I had of him, so I tried not to think too hard about it. After that, we stayed up really late watching more Christmas movies, but I finally fell asleep sometime around two or three.

And then I woke up at eight on Christmas morning. I could tell Logan wasn't happy about that at all by the way he refused to open his eyes, even though I knew he was awake. I yanked the covers off, and he snarled into his pillow.

"G'sleekid."

"But Logan...I _can't_ go back to sleep! It's_ Christmas_!" I whined.

"Fuchrissmas."

"I don't think Jesus appreciates that."

"'Preciate my ass." He mumbled a bit more clearly.

Before I could stop myself, I glanced down at his ass and proceeded to do exactly that. I hadn't ever really checked out a guy's butt before, but in my amateur opinion, Logan had a nice one. I'd seen it in the shower, and it wasn't nearly as hairy as I thought it would be, considering how hairy his arms and chest were. Logan's snoring snapped me out of my wildly inappropriate thoughts though, and I blushed clear up to my hears until it clicked in my mind that he had fallen back asleep. So I resorted to drastic measures.

I smacked his ass.

He woke back up with a snort, but I had already hopped out of bed and ran across the room, just in case he realized what exactly had woken him up. He wasn't yelling or chasing me though, so I figured I was in the clear, and brought all of the presents back over to the bed with me. Logan still refused to open his eyes, but at least he hadn't started snoring again. I went back and grabbed my backpack too, then climbed back into bed and sat cross-legged next to Logan.

"Ah didn't want to wrap this one, because it would be too obvious what it was." I told him.

He sort of nodded but still didn't look up. So I took his pillow. He started to whine, but I shoved the pillow I'd gotten him beneath his head, and he immediately buried his face into it instead. I worried he really would think it was weird, but then he started purring, and I laughed.

"So yah like it?" I asked.

He grunted into it.

"Then come on, sleepyhead. Ah got more." I said, poking his side.

He lifted his head up, and I petted his head. I tried to help him sit up too, but it was obvious that my help wasn't really helping. He propped himself up against the headboard and pulled my legs into his lap. I pressed against his side, and he nuzzled against my hair.

"Ah'm sorry Ah woke yah up so early. Ah jus' couldn't wait." I said.

He squeezed me gently. "It's alright. What's next?"

I gave him the gloves, and he ripped the wrapping paper off. He stopped when he saw them and glanced at me questioningly.

"So yah won't have to worry about touching me." I explained.

"The only reason I ever worry about touching you is because I don't want to mess up your head." He said, brushing his knuckles beneath my chin.

"Sugah, the crazy ship has already sailed." I muttered.

He narrowed his eyes. "You're not crazy. You just don't need any more of me messing around in your head."

I looked down and played with his hand. "Keep yeh hands warm though."

He gave me another quick hug. "Yeah. Thanks."

I handed him the bottle opener next, and he seemed to recognize what it was halfway through opening it.

"Ah know yah can jus' use yah claws, but it hurts, so Ah got yah a bottle opener." I said.

"Thanks...it's...thanks." He muttered, pulling me even closer.

I grinned at him, and he cleared his throat. I snuggled up next to him and waited. I could tell when he was trying to work something out. Sometimes it took him a while to figure out how to say something and sometimes he was just plain rude about it, but he always meant what he said.

"I've never gotten a present before." He whispered.

"What?"

I felt him shrug.

"Never had a family before."

"But...what about friends or..." I blushed and stuttered. "...girls...?"

"I'm not exactly a people person. And I'm sure as hell not the type of guy you invite home for the holidays."

"Ah'd invite yah." I said.

"Your parents wouldn't let me past the front door." He replied with a snort.

"It's okay. Ah wasn't good enough for them either." I gave my own shrug, determined not to get depressing on Christmas. "But that's their loss, and yah still have another present."

I gave him the sketchbook last of all and held my breath while he unwrapped it. He flipped it open and we both looked at the pictures I'd painted inside. A lot of forests, since that was the space I had made for Wolverine in my mind. He really liked my mental forest I'd made him, so I thought maybe I could share it with Logan too. I even did one painting of the night sky from a glimpse of memory I'd gotten by accident. I hoped he didn't mind.

He flipped over to the last two and lingered on them the longest. The second to last was me and Wolvie, although you couldn't see my face. And the last of all was the portrait I'd done. I tried to stay quiet, but he looked at that one for so long that I started to get nervous.

"It's beautiful." He said.

I relaxed against him, happy that he liked it, and we stayed like that for a minute.

"Ah wanted to give yah something so yah could always remember." I finally whispered.

"Thank you."

Neither of us moved for a long while after that, but I was okay with that.

"You want your presents now, kid?" He asked.

I nodded quickly, grinning and bouncing on the bed in excitement. He gave me a bundle wrapped up in newspaper, and I tore it off to find a dark green jacket. It looked slightly military, and when I unfolded it, a pair of black gloves dropped out. I picked them up and realized they were leather, but not tough and cracked. These gloves were soft and lined with something fuzzy inside that would probably be really warm. They were so much nicer than the cheap pair I'd gotten him. I pushed that thought aside though and hopped off the bed so I could try on the jacket. Logan watched as I pulled it on, and I did a little spin for him.

He smiled. "Looks nice, kid."

I laughed out of sheer happiness and jumped back onto the bed. He caught me and pulled me back to him. I hugged him again and happily repeated thank you until he shifted me back and handed me another present. This one was a box, and I tore off the newspaper to see a picture advertising a cellphone on it. I wondered where he'd found the box and what was really inside, until I opened it and saw two cellphones sitting inside.

"Yah...wha..." I settled on asking an obvious question. "Why are there two?"

Logan kind of grinned and winced. "I was kinda hoping you'd show me how to use mine."

"Oh...oh. Yeah. Ah can..." I concentrated on making sense and not getting emotional. "Ah'll program our numbers in and put them on speed dial so yah can just press a button to call meh."

"Sounds good. You ready for your next one?" Logan asked.

I couldn't believe that wasn't it. I'd already gotten a new jacket and pair of gloves. The cellphones had to be the big gift at the end, right? But Logan handed me another package, even bigger than the previous one. I took the newspaper off more slowly, unsure of what I would find. It only took a few tears for me to realize what it was. I gasped and hot shame flooded through my body. I didn't deserve this. Logan had already given me so much, and now a laptop on top of everything else? Even my parents had refused to buy me my own laptop. They said it was too much money, too much freedom. Logan didn't even like technology, and I couldn't imagine how he had found this or the money to pay for it. I felt tears welling up, and I shook my head back and forth.

"Marie? Shit, what's wrong kid? You don't like it?"

_Did Logan fuck up yer Christmas, kit? It ain't yer fault he's an idiot._

My tears spilled over at Logan and Wolverine's immediate reassurances, and I shook my head even harder, unable to speak past my sobs and guilt at upsetting Logan again.

_He'll make it right, so stop ya crying...don't cry, kitling..._

"It's alright, I can take it back, I can getcha a new one, please don't cry, shit Marie, please don't..."

I held up my hand to stop him while I angrily swiped at my tears. "Ah'm sorry, it's not...it's not yah fault, it's jus'..."

Logan tugged me closer until I sat fully in his lap and he could wrap his arms around me. "Just what, kid? What's wrong?"

"It's too much." I choked out.

He frowned. "What?"

"It's too...yeh too good...Ah don't deserve..." I gasped.

"Hold the fuck up." He grabbed my chin and pulled my face up until I looked him in the eye. "I don't ever want to hear you say you don't deserve good things, Marie. You deserve the best, better than a Christmas with five presents in a motel. You're beautiful and smart and caring and you deserve to be happy."

I took a shuddering breath and tried to say something, thank him or argue back, but I ended up sobbing again. He let me sag against his chest and cry myself out into his shirt. I didn't understand how I had been so lucky to find this man who took such good care of me. Eventually, my tears wore out, and I lay in his arms, sniffling and trying to breath normal again. A sudden thought occurred to me, and I looked up at him.

"Five?"

"Five what, kid?"

"Yah said five presents." I shifted and raised myself up.

"Uhh...yeah. If yah like the laptop, there's another." He said, looking me over carefully.

"Yeh killing me, Logan." I sniffled.

He cupped my cheek, inspecting my face again, and I did my best to smile back at him. He needed to know that he hasn't done anything wrong at all, I was just an insecure, emotional wreck. In a word, puberty. He brushed my tears away again and let me scoot around in his lap until I could lean back comfortably against his chest with the laptop sitting in my own lap.

He pointed at the screen. "Make it turn on."

I gave a shaky laugh. Seriously, how had he even known what a laptop was, much less which kind to buy? I didn't know much about computers, just the stereotypes of what each kind was like, but this was an Alien Ware. They were supposed to be gaming computers with really good graphics. It was small and light too, enough that I could carry it around it my backpack without it getting too heavy.

"What?" He demanded.

I giggled again. "Yeh so hopeless."

I turned the computer on, still snickering slightly. The log in screen came up, asking me to sign in with a password. Crap. I really, really hoped Logan knew it. I craned my head up to look at him.

"What's the password?" I asked.

"Four. Oh. Two. Four. Three. If you forget, it's the same number on my tags." He replied.

"Oh."

I'd seen his name and Wolverine's, but I hadn't ever really paid attention to the numbers at the bottom. Numbers weren't really my thing, so I appreciated him choosing a password I wouldn't be able to forget. I typed it in and the welcome screen disappeared. When everything came back on, an Internet page popped up, reloading to the last page that had been visited. I squeezed my eyes shut and peeked cautiously out.

Honestly, I expected porn.

Logan was a grown man, and that's what men did with computers. A large part of why my parents wouldn't get me my own laptop was because they were worried _I_ might start watching porn. But all I saw instead was some really official looking page.

"What's this?"

"Virtual High School." Logan answered. "This is the Ontario version, but I'm pretty sure you can keep up with it even if we leave the province. I registered you for it, and you can choose what courses you want to take."

The page had a table listing different class descriptions. I asked another obvious question, not really believing what I saw.

"These are the courses...?"

"Yeah. There's courses for math, science, English, some other shit. You can do the assignments whenever you want, then take the final exam to pass the course. Like high school, but with this computer shit instead."

"But..." I looked from the screen to Logan. "These are five hundred dollars a course."

Was that Canadian or American money? Did one cost more than the other? How much money did Logan even make cage fighting to be able to afford to pay for all those classes?

"I can afford it." He said.

I stared at him, mouth slightly agape. He made a lot then, apparently.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to. But you said some stuff about college in that one game we played, and you can earn a diploma with this even while we move around." He said, watching me for a reaction.

I breathed in deep and focused on not crying again. "This is the...nah-cest...best...thing..._anyone_ has evah done for meh."

Logan grimaced. "It's just—"

"No, Logan. The best." I stressed. "Yah...yah gave meh a future."

"Merry Christmas, kid."

* * *

**A/N: So not only was the Christmas special one of my favorites to write, but this is the last chapter before the update change! WHOO! Next week, BBW and THB will both update on Monday with the Wolverine chapter, and then again on Friday with a super special chapter...Marie says I love you for the first time and Logan does what he does best: runs.**

**Also, wordpress and I are not really agreeing with each other, so if you want to see a sneak peek at the Wolverine chapter, check out my tumblr! I'll put one up for BBW on Saturday and one for TBH on Sunday. You can find me at morganofthefey . tumblr . Com.**

**Special thanks to my Canadian beta Klizik for editing this! He's on a road trip with his Opa (dutch for grandfather) in Louisiana right now to work on his Opa's bucket list. I suggested martis gras and bitches. Anyone got any better suggestions?**


	18. Of Wolves and Men

The first math problem almost knocked me out. The second and third kicked my ass. But by the fourth, I'd started to find my footing, and I put the fifth down in only fifteen minutes. I wondered briefly how Tanner and Sam were doing with their own math dragons. Mine were awful. But the great part about completing high school online was that I could complete all my assignments at my own pace. I was already halfway through my first English class, but on the flip side, I'd barely made a dent in basic algebra.

My head started to hurt, either because I was on my period or from the algebra. Maybe some godforsaken combination of the two. I should have known better than to mix them, but I thought since I couldn't sleep anyway, I might as well try to get some homework done. I shut down my laptop and placed it on the nightstand, then clicked the lamp off. I flopped down onto the bed and squirmed around until I got semi-comfortable. A car pulled into the motel parking lot, its headlights shining through the gaps in the curtains and sweeping across the room. I squeezed my eyes shut and laid perfectly still.

One sheep.

A car door slammed.

Two sheep.

The heater kicked on with a rumble.

Three sheep.

My arm started to fall asleep.

F—

Someone in the next room over turned on their TV, the volume twisted up to max.

Fuck this. Wolvie laughed in my mind. He thought it was cute when I swore and called me a little baby kitling. I grumbled at him and sat up. So I couldn't sleep. What did I want instead?

_Snickers! You're not YOU when you're hungry! _The TV next door shouted.

It actually sounded like a pretty good idea. Chocolate was always a good idea, and the walk to the convenience store would either tire me out or completely wake me up. I didn't care which, just as long as I could get out of this drowsy state. I hated being tired but unable to sleep. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and flipped it open.

Logan and I had worked out a system. I could go places while he was out as long as they were in easy walking distance, and I texted him before and after so he knew where I was going and that I got back safe. After what happened with the Dollarama, I understood he just wanted to know where I was and that I was safe. Plus, I didn't have to ask permission. With my parents, it was all _please_ and _I promise_ and then they'd do a whole big investigation, but as long as I kept Logan in the loop, he didn't freak out about it.

_Going to the convenience store for a Snickers run._

I didn't bother to ask him how his night was or send him a smiley face or anything. The first time I used text speak, he called me and said his phone was broken, and he couldn't seem to understand the concept of emoticons at all. So I kept it brief and simple, just the bare facts. A status report. Aye, aye Captain.

Maybe I needed to go to sleep after all. But Snickers first. I didn't bother to change out of my pajamas, just put my shoes on and grabbed my gloves and jacket. They were both surprisingly warm, able to stave off even the Canadian winter. The jacket had a hood too, which I flipped up as I walked out the door. I kept my head down and my hood pulled around my face as I walked, as much from the cold as not wanting to draw attention to myself. I made it to the convenience store across the street without incident though and headed straight for the candy aisle. Reeses and Butterfingers tempted me, but I stayed faithful to my Snickers. It was just me and the cashier inside, so I paid and left in about a minute and was back in the nice warm hotel room in another three.

I stepped inside, pulling my gloves and jacket back off, and sat on the bed. I had my Snickers, and the walk had made me tired, but I still didn't feel sleepy. I sighed and took a bite, the chocolate a small consolation for a good night of sleep. The TV next door blared, but I tried to shut it out until I heard it mention something about Jurassic Park. I grabbed the remote and flipped my TV on, then watched the TV guide channel until I saw it would be playing in half an hour. I wondered if Logan would agree to watch it with me and remembered I hadn't texted back yet. I grabbed my jacket and searched through the pockets until I found the one I'd shoved my phone in and texted Logan again.

_Back at hotel. Jurassic Park playing in half an hour. We can watch it together if you get back in time._

It felt really weird texting in full sentences with proper grammar and no emoticons. I always worried I'd sound rude or abrupt, but Logan took what I said at face value. I set the phone back on the nightstand, not really expecting a call or text back. Logan gave up on texting after autocorrect kept ducking changing all his godzilla texts. _I_ thought that ship was hilarious.

I finished my Snickers and decided to take a shower while I waited. I took my phone with me and set it on the sink counter just in case Logan saw the text and called me, then stripped and hopped in. I'd already showered this morning, but being on my period made me feel gross, so I usually took two or three showers a day. Logan thought it was weird until I reminded him I was bleeding from my genitals and then he got this look on his face and shut up about it. I didn't even bother washing anything, I just stood under the hot water and tried to relax. It actually started to work, and by the time I got out, I was feeling just the tiny bit sleepy.

Until I stepped out, onto my wet pajamas. I looked down at the floor to see everything within three feet of the shower was soaked. I tightened my grip on the curtain as I carefully stepped out and realized that I had accidentally left the curtain on the wrong side of the bathtub again, and the water had gotten to my pajamas. I spent some time standing in the middle of the puddle and grumbling curses before I sucked it up and threw some towels down on the floor. I picked my sopping wet pajamas up and threw the into the sink to get them out of the way, then swiped the towels around with my feet. It was good enough by my standards, but I knew Logan would be pissed if he saw I'd flooded the bathroom again, so I got down on my hands and knees and did a good job.

_If I had hands, I'd clap fer ya, kit._

_Ah don't need none of yeh sass._

_Ya need a good night's sleep t'help ya get yer head on straight._

I sighed. _Amen._

Once I'd wiped up all the water from the floor, I hung the towels up to dry and took a second look at my pajamas. Still soaked. I let out an even more agonized sigh and hung them up next to the towels. I had a nightgown I could wear, but that was in Logan's truck, which was with Logan, who was not here.

Godzilla it.

_Jest take one of his shirts._

Now there was an idea. Logan might make his beds with military efficiency, but the cleanliness had obviously been a lost cause. I tried to keep all his dirty clothes piled up on the chair so nothing got forgotten when we left, and I knew there were a few shirts in the pile. All the towels were soaked though, so I crept out of the bathroom naked, feeling a bit ridiculous. No one else was here and the curtains were closed, but it still felt weird walking around without any clothes on at all. I opened the duffel bag where I always kept a few spare changes of clothes first and dug out a clean bra and panties. Sleeping with a bra had taken some getting used to, but it got cold at night, and the absolute most embarrassing thing I could think of was waking Logan up by poking him with my ice cold nipples. God, that probably would happen to me because that sort of thing always did.

I grabbed the underwear and one of Logan's dirty shirts, but I still had the whole "I'm on my period" thing going on, so I got a pad out of my backpack and scurried back into the bathroom to change. Logan's shirt came down almost to my knees and was ridiculously wide, especially on the shoulders. The collar barely hung onto mine, showing off my bra straps. It was better than sleeping in just my underwear or trying to wear jeans and a sweater to bed though, so I crawled back into bed and hoped Logan wouldn't mind. He still hadn't called or gotten back yet, and the warm shower had been pretty relaxing despite the mild flooding disaster. I curled up around his pillow and hugged it to me. He said it still smelled like me, but I thought it smelled like him. I had just started to doze when Logan got back, slamming the door behind him as usual. I yawned and sat up.

"Sugah?"

He stared at me and didn't answer.

"Yah don't mind Ah'm wearing yeh shirt do yah?" I asked.

He ignored me and looked around, raising his head and sniffing. I frowned and looked harder. Something about him seemed...different. He glanced back over at me, and I saw the gold in his eyes.

"Wolvie?"

He answered with a growl and walked over to the bed. I scooted over and he climbed in, hovering over me. I tilted my neck back for him to scent me like he had the last time, and he growled again. I almost jumped when he licked my neck, but I forced myself to stay still. He closed his mouth over my neck, then bit down, increasing the pressure until I couldn't help but squirm in pain.

_S'okay, kit. Not trynta hurt ya, jest markin' ya. Like the tags._

I couldn't stop a small whimper from getting out, but he let go a second later and licked at the bite, which actually helped with the pain. I relaxed against him, and he nuzzled the side of my head. He seemed to really like my hair, rubbing a strand with his hands and sniffing it. He dropped it after a moment and placed both of his hands on my shoulders. He looked over me like it was his first time seeing me, and I felt a little awkward. The awkward feeling morphed into outright nervousness when he moved his hand down my chest. I trusted him, but I still held my breath. He quickly moved on though, sliding his hand over my stomach and down to my hip. He squeezed, then shifted back to grap the back of my knee. I let him pull my leg around to the other side of his body, and he leaned back fully on his heels.

My feet were next, and he ran his hand over my ankles, pausing to rub his thumb against the arch of my foot. I hummed when he hit a particularly sensitive spot, and he grinned at me. Well, it looked more like just baring his teeth actually, but I had seen my Wolverine do it enough times in my head for me to recognize what it was. I smiled back at him, my nervousness nearly gone. It was a little bit strange, but I realized he was just...inspecting me. Okay, so a lot strange. But still...I trusted him, so I didn't protest when he leaned closer and cupped my cheek. I lifted my head up for him, and he stared at my face. I stared back, amazed by the way his eyes almost seemed to glow. The irises were golden rings around large black pupils, and they bore into my own eyes as we stared at each other.

His hand slid around to cup the back of my head instead and pulled me forward. I didn't understand what he wanted until he pressed my face against his shoulder. I nuzzled into his neck but didn't bite him the way he had me. I wasn't sure if that was okay, and it was just a little too weird for me. He seemed content with just that though, so I raised my head and smiled at him.

"It's nice to finally see yah." I said.

"It's nice to see ya too, little kitling." He growled out.

I gaped at him, and he cocked his head just like a dog. I suddenly felt very stupid for being so shocked. My Wolvie talked to me just fine, so it should have been obvious that Logan's Wolverine could talk too.

"Did you think I couldn't talk?"

I blushed in shame and shook my head. "Not...uhm, like this. Yah jus' sorta growled at me the last time."

"The human had more control the last time." He replied.

His eyes glazed slightly, the way Logan's did when he was talking to...well, him. Had they switched places? If Wolverine was in control now, did that make Logan the voice in Wolvie's head instead of the other way around? Wolverine shook his head slightly and his eyes refocused on me. He ran his fingers through my hair again, and I lifted my head for him, although I still stared at him curiously.

"Where's Logan now?" I asked.

Wolverine smirked. "Having a healthy does of his own goddamn medicine."

I lifted my hand to touch his face, running my fingertips along his stubble. He still looked exactly like Logan, even still had the same posture and cocky grin. But this was Wolverine, and although I'd seen glimpses of him before, this was the first time we had really met. I just couldn't get over finally being able to see him in front of me though. He was the voice inside my head, the one who protected me from the other voices and guarded my mind while I slept. And now here he was. He only let me touch his face for a moment though, before he grabbed my wrist and nipped at it. It didn't hurt exactly, and I mostly just gasped from shock. He smirked at me again and then licked my wrist. His tongue felt rough and warm, and I tried not to blush again.

"Are yah two fighting?" I asked to distract myself.

He stopped licking me and looked up. "Logan doesn't let me out because he's afraid I'll hurt you."

"Ah'm sorry." I sighed with a wince. "Logan can be kinda stupid like that sometimes."

Wolverine looked at me suspiciously. "You trust me?"

I gave him a smile back. "Of course, Wolvie! Ah trusted yah before Ah trusted Logan."

He looked so confused and wary, like he was just waiting for some sort of hurtful punch line. I wondered if anyone had trusted him before, which was crap because he had done so much for me I couldn't even explain it all.

"Ah have yah in mah head." I said, trying to explain anyway.

My attempted explanation only solidified his wary look though, and he lifted my chin again to stare into my eyes.

"Does my voice...bother you?" He asked.

I shook my head vigorously, desperate to make him understand that he was the good guy in all of this. He and Logan both. After spending so much time with Logan and having Wolvie in my head, I was convinced that they were just two parts of the same whole. And they needed to see it too, if they could just stop fighting long enough to really look at themselves and each other. Wolverine tightened his grip to stop my head shaking though, which I belatedly realized was a bit overdramatic.

"Yah protect meh..." I paused, uncertain of what Logan's Wolverine actually knew about my _situation_. "...from the other voices."

"Those other fuckers who touched you...do they hurt you?" He moved his hand back to my head, gripping slightly.

I nodded gently. "They say awful things...give meh nightmares...headaches. Yah keep them quiet. Ah thought it would never be quiet again."

He growled lowly when I looked down at my admission, so I looked back up at him and continued.

"Ah talk to yah though. Ah lock up the other voices in rooms so they can't get out, but yah don't like cages, so Ah made yah a forest, an' yah talk to meh all the time, but yah always say the nicest things."

He blinked at me, and I smiled back.

"Yah do." I insisted. "Logan feeds meh and buys meh things and makes sure Ah'm safe, but yah take care of meh too. Yah tell meh we're packmates and that Ah'm special and calm meh down when Ah get scared."

Wolverine responded with a snarl and bent over me to nip at the mark he'd left on my neck. He didn't sound angry though, and I only got soothing vibes from my Wolvie. I recognized the hazy thoughts I got from him as gratitude, and I let Wolverine push me down on the bed. I didn't have any good memories of men looming over me like this though, even if those memories only came from the voices nasty thoughts of what they wanted to do to me. But he hadn't shoved me or held me down, and his arm supported my lower back, his hand rubbing the same circles against my side that Logan did. I started to wrap my arms around him when he pulled me closer, but a sticky wetness seeped against my hip. I moved my hand down and touched the spot, realizing it came from his shirt. When I pressed my hand against it, I felt a rip in the shirt, right where it was soaked the most. I shoved against his side insistently, and he let up, although he gave me a disgruntled glare.

"What happened?" I demanded, a bit out of breath.

He frowned, then looked down at my hand and seemed to notice the dark spot on his shirt for the first time. I swallowed thickly when it finally clicked in my mind that the stain was from blood that hadn't even dried yet. I pushed my fingers through the tear in his shirt and the wife beater beneath that, pressing them directly against his stomach and searching for a wound.

"A fight."

When he didn't elaborate, I looked up at him. "Did someone stab you?"

"Yes. I healed."

He said it so matter of factly, like he got stabbed all the time. I was so glad he healed, but somehow that made it even worse, that he didn't even have a scar for all the pain it caused.

"Ah'm sorry." I said, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him.

"I healed." He repeated in the same factual tone.

I pulled back and gave him a worried look. "But it hurt though, rah-ght?"

_Don't bother worrying about us, kit._

The Wolverine sitting in front of me didn't answer, just rubbed his cheek along my forehead. My Wolvie showed me the correct response, and I ran my cheek over the underside of his chin. It was like learning a whole new language, and I was glad I had him in my head to translate. The nuzzling was reassuring and soothing, and letting him keep his head above mine while keeping away from his throat at the same time showed I wasn't challenging or threatening him. He bumped his head against mine, an acknowledgment of my gesture. It reminded me of a puppy bumping his head against my hand, seeking attention.

The first thing I could do for him was get his shirt washed before the blood dried completely and set in. I untucked his flannel shirt from his jeans, and he took his jacket off so I could pull it over his head. I reached for his wife beater, but he grabbed the back of it and pulled it off in one swift motion. He dropped it next to his shirt on the bed, and I touched the part of his stomach that still had blood smeared across it. He closed his eyes and let me press my palm against it. No wound, no cut, not even a scratch. Just healthy, warm skin, sprinkled with hair that led down into his jeans.

I blushed and snatched my hand back, picking up the shirts and making my way into the bathroom. He followed close behind me, but stopped and leaned against the doorway. I tossed the shirts into the sink and turned the hot water on. If I scrubbed the blood out now, I might be able to save them. I could see Wolverine waiting impatiently at the door in the mirror, so I turned around and gave him a reassuring smile.

"If Ah don't get the stain out now, it'll never come out. Oh! Would yah like to watch a movie with meh?" I asked hopefully.

He just shrugged. I waited a bit longer to see if I'd get a verbal response, but when he didn't say anything else, I turned back to the shirts. A lot of Logan's communication was nonverbal, so it didn't bother me that Wolverine acted the same. And a shrug was better than an outright no. If he really didn't want to watch it with me, he would have flat out told me so.

I rubbed my thumbs over the bloody patch in his flannel shirt, careful to watch the tear. As long as it didn't rip any further, I could probably sew it up without it being too obvious. The water turned scalding, so I had to soak the shirt then lift it out of the water and scrub at the blood. It was still uncomfortably hot, but not yet burning, and the blood was actually starting to come out rather nicely.

A large pair of hands wrapped around mine and yanked them out of the water.

"It's too hot." Wolverine growled.

"It needs to be that hot to get the blood out." I argued, trying to pull my hands back.

"Your hands are more important than the goddamn shirt." He replied.

"Ah forget that sometimes." I admitted, giving up my struggle. "Ah...Ah don't really think Ah'm all that important. But yah remind meh that Ah'm important to yah, so Ah have to be careful. If not for meh, than for yah."

Wolverine stared at our hands over my shoulder and didn't reply. I was used to the lack of words, but he didn't move either, didn't even let my hands go so I could finish washing his shirts. I dropped them back into the sink and turned around in his arms.

"Are yah okay?" I asked.

I followed my own instincts and lifted my hand to his face against to trace the same path along his jaw that I had rubbed with my cheek earlier. He grabbed my hand, but instead of biting, he rubbed it more firmly against his cheek and then up into his hair. I laughed and obligingly scratched behind his ears. I thought petting him might put him in a good mood, so I pressed the movie issue and asked again.

"So is that a yes to the movie?"

He cracked an eye open. "Thought you'd want Logan back by now."

"It's not that Ah don't want Logan, Ah jus' want to spend time with yah while Ah can." I explained.

I hoped Logan didn't feel put out that I watched the movie with Wolvie and not him...er, well...maybe Logan would still be watching the movie in there somewhere. The situation seemed a little odd again, so I stopped thinking so hard about it. If they could accept that I had voices in my head, I could accept their situation too, no matter how strange it got.

Wolverine nuzzled my hand again, nodding out a yes. I grinned widely. I would get to watch Jurassic Park after all, and with Wolvie! Tonight was a good night.

* * *

**A/N: So here's Marie's POV of the Wolverine chapter! Are you guys liking the new updating switch, having both TBH and BBW update on the same day? You can read them one after another now! Which did you read first?**

**This was originally supposed to be one chapter, but it got so long I had to split it into two. I know this chapter is shorter than the last, but if I hadn't split it into two, it would have been an 18-20 page document. So don't worry, the next chapter will be a bit longer.**

**I posted the sneak peeks for these chapters on my tumblr account, and that worked out well, so I'll post the previews for Friday's chapters there as well. I think I'll put them both up on Wednesday, and if you missed it, the link is morganofthefey . tumblr . com.**

**Coming up next: Marie and Wolverine watch Jurassic Park and have a little Q & A session, and the next morning, Logan gets back in the saddle again! And he's not very happy...**


	19. Are You There Wolverine? It's Me, Marie

**A/N: Quick author's note! I'm going to start putting the month at the top of each chapter, so you know how much time has passed in between them.**

* * *

**MARCH**

"Wolverine?"

I had just explained that I wanted to spend time with him, but hadn't gotten any answer. That wasn't so unusual, but his eyes still had that faraway look, and he'd already ignored me once now when I asked if he was okay. Did it hurt him to try to keep control? Were he and Logan really fighting? I knew how horrible it could be when the voices got loose and tried to take over, and it made my stomach hurt to think Logan and Wolverine might have that sort of relationship.

"Are yah sure everything's alrah-ght?" I asked again.

Wolverine dipped his head back down to lick the mark on my neck. His tongue still felt rough, but it didn't hurt. It almost felt soothing actually. I didn't really know what to do with my hands, so I just sort of awkward places them on his arms. He didn't seem to mind at all.

"Did it hurt?" He muttered.

I didn't want to upset him, but he'd know if I didn't tell the truth. "Yeah. But Ah know yah were jus' marking meh as yours."

"Did I tell you that...?" He drew back and tilted my head to look at him. "...in your head?"

"Yes."

His eyes narrowed. "What else?"

"Just what Ah said before. Yah remind meh that we're packmates and yah'll never leave meh...Ah know Logan doesn't think much of yah, but yah've never hurt meh or said anything mean." I stressed.

His eyebrow twitched, and he snorted. "I've never been mean."

I gave a slight shrug. "Well, yah talk a lot of shit about Logan, but Ah'm not counting that."

He chuckled lowly at my reply, but then his eyes glazed over again. I let him have a moment, but when he still didn't look back at me, I tightened my grip on his arms until he noticed.

"Is Logan...talking?" I asked.

His gaze snapped back to mine. "Yeah, kitling. He's talking shit too."

"What's he saying?" I pressed.

"He ain't happy about riding shotgun, but he'll get over it." He paused and grinned at me. "I'll watch your movie with you, kit."

His eyes looked sincere, if a little intense, and I didn't believe Wolverine or Logan would ever lie to me, so I smiled back.

"Okay, just let meh finish washing yeh shirt!"

He let me turn back to the sink, although he pressed a heavy forearm over my arms to hold them down until he had check the water temperature. I had gotten used to his overprotective nature after having him in my head for so long, and seeing him act it out now seemed endearing instead of frustrating the way it had at first. He watched me while I scrubbed the last of the blood out, and I could feel his gaze on me almost in a physical sense. It had felt like that the first time we had seen each other at the bar too. Meeting his eyes then by chance had almost knocked the wind out of me. This felt different though, slower and more deliberate. His attention suddenly turned toward the shower though. I thought I heard a faint thump, but the sound didn't repeat, and I kept scrubbing. I was almost done when Wolverine's voice startled me.

"You need to cut out that showering together bullshit."

I looked up before I could stop myself. I tried to say something calm or clever, but all that came out was a blush instead.

"You're too goddamn old for that shit, and you know it, kit. Are you just trying to give us a fucking heart attack?" He growled.

"Ah thought yah would be afraid of mah skin an' Ah...Ah was curious." I said.

I stared at the shirts so I wouldn't have to look at him. When he didn't say anything else, I went back to scrubbing. I'd already embarrassed myself in front of Logan countless times, but this was my first time making an idiot of myself in front of Wolverine.

"Kit."

I kept my head down so he wouldn't see my blush or facial expression. I hoped my hair covered my face, and he couldn't see my reflection in the mirror.

"Marie."

It was the first time he had used my name, and it gave me chills. His voice was just as deep as Logan's, but somehow rougher. I had no choice but to raise my head, just like the first time Logan said my name like that when we showered together.

"Your skin doesn't scare us. We're glad you have it." He said.

"Why?" I blurted out.

"Keeps you safe when we're not around. Keeps anyone else from touching you. We're real fucking selfish like that, kit." He said, leaning closer and pinning me with his stare.

"Selfish?" I repeated with a frown.

"Yeah." He pushed off against the wall and wrapped an arm around me. "You're the most important person in our life, the only goddamn good thing about it, and we don't want some other asshole taking you away. You belong to us now."

I didn't have a reply to that. I'd never expected him to say something like that. Not just that I didn't expect him to feel that way, I really didn't think Wolverine would be the type to discuss any of his feelings so honestly. I just hugged him instead, hoping he would understand from that.

"Forever, kit. We'll always be there to protect and watch over you, no matter where you go. And we'll take you wherever you want to go and provide whatever you need." He continued.

But if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. And I hated the thought I was mooching off them, never giving anything in return. I was damn grateful for all they'd given me, and beyond that, I had my pride.

"Ah'm yeh packmate too, so what do Ah need to do for yah?" I asked, looking back up at him.

"Don't leave us." He muttered.

"Yah do all that for meh, and all Ah gotta do is stick around for it? That doesn't sound fair." I argued.

"Don't do dumb shit and get yourself hurt. Try to put up with the human's whining and bitching. Clean us up after fights and nightmares. Same shit you're already doing." He said, shrugging slightly.

"Alrah-ght." I grinned. "Ah think Ah can handle that."

He flashed a quick smile back and let go. I picked his flannel shirt out of the sink and looked it over. It looked like I'd gotten all of the blood out, but it was a dark color and wet, so I couldn't really be sure. I hung it up next to my pajamas and did the same for his wifebeater. I could still see a very faint patch on it, but he would only be wearing it beneath his shirts, so I didn't think Logan would mind. Once I had them both securely hung, I turned back to Wolverine.

"Ready for that movie now?" I asked.

He nodded and let me lead the way out of the bathroom. I jumped into bed, and he crawled in next to me, pulling me into his lap. I shifted around until I got comfortable and grabbed the remote. When I turned the TV on, the movie was already past the first explanation scene about mosquitos and blood and DNA.

"We missed the first few minutes, but basically what hap—"

Wolverine cut me off, mid-explanation. "Don't care."

I rolled my eyes and continued. "Ah don't care about yeh don't care. This scientist found a way to bring back dinosaurs and decided to put them in a theme park."

"Fucking stupid."

I laughed. "Yep!"

"Fucking scientists, always fucking with shit they shouldn't." He grumbled.

"Don't worry. We already skipped all the lab parts. From here on, it's jus' blood an' carnage, Ah promise." I murmured, stroking up in arm in sympathy.

"And that's what you want to see?"

"Ah'm kind of on mah period rah-ght now..."

"No shit."

I slapped his arm without thinking about it for sassing me. He didn't say anything about it, just flexed his arm playfully.

"So hell yes, Ah wanna see some rich white men get ripped apart by velociraptors!" I finished with glee.

"I forgot you had such a mean streak." He said, nudging the side of my head.

I leaned back against him. "Yah said yah don't mind it."

"Not a damn bit."

"Oh! It's back on! Shhh!" I hissed, straightening back up in excitement.

He bit my neck again, but not nearly as hard as before. It felt like a puppy that nips at your hand. I had the sudden thought that Wolvie reminded me of a man-puppy just before the kids got to ride into the park for the first time, and then I was distracted by the dinosaurs and forgot about it. He rubbed my sides while I watched, and I relaxed back against him. We watched the kids get the lowdown about how the park worked until the next commercial came on.

"Wolvie?"

He stirred behind me.

"Were yah asleep?" I asked.

"No." He grunted.

"What happened to the person who stabbed yah?" I didn't want to pry, but it had been bothering me all night.

"We broke his face."

"Good." I muttered.

"Glad you approve." He chuckled.

I decided to move on to a safer topic, which wasn't a problem since I had about a million questions I wanted to ask him. I could ask the Wolvie in my head, but I always worried that my own thoughts and opinions were coloring his. I'd never deliberately talked to a voice before or gotten one stuck in my head as strongly as he was, so I wasn't really certain how it worked. And my Wolvie had stayed surprisingly quiet during the night, only popping up to offer advice on how to interact with Wolverine.

"Did yah like the Christmas gifts?" I asked. "The pillow was partly yeh idea."

"Fucking love it." I laughed, and he waited for me to quiet down before he continued. "Liked the pictures too, the one of you and me. Mine."

I squeezed his hand, and the movie came back on. He didn't offer any commentary or react to the dinosaurs at all, and I suspected that he wasn't even watching at all. I liked being in his arms though, and I still had a lot more questions to ask him, which I got to the second another commercial came on. I started with another safe question about when I painted his toenails. He acted really chill about it, almost amused and said he didn't mind, so I moved on to one of my bigger questions, why I couldn't watch him fight. He said it was too dangerous at the bars, which I thought was crap until he reminded me that I had agreed not to do anything stupid and get myself hurt. Even I could see that leaving me on my own in a bar while he was locked in a cage would be kind of dangerous, and he promised to follow the same rule, so I relented after he assured me he'd keep Logan in line too.

At the next commercial break, I asked what I thought would be an easy, silly question, what his favorite color was, but he went silent for nearly an entire commercial.

"I don't have one." He finally replied.

I twisted around and stared at him. "How can yah not have a favorite color? Can't yah see?"

He snorted. "Yeah, kit. I can fuckin' _see_. I just haven't thought about it."

"Well, think." I insisted.

"...I see red a lot."

"Do yah like red?"

He stayed silent again, then finally mumbled no into my hair.

"Then that's not it." I tried to soften my tone and cheer things up. "So think about it, and let meh know when yah decide. What about lamb?"

"Uhh...kit...? Sheep are food, not colors." He said, touching the back of my head.

I laughed and shook his hand off. He scowled at me, and despite my intention to reassure him I wasn't crazy, I ended up laughing even harder. What color would "lamb" even be? Probably some off white grey color rich people paint their living room so the fung shei will be "pure."

"No, Ah meant..." I gasped. "...do yah _like_ lamb? As food."

He relaxed and gave me an amused look. "I'll eat any kind of meat."

"Okay, well maybe Ah can talk Logan into eating at a place that serves lamb, so yah two can try it." I said, still grinning.

He just grunted and nudged my head. I twisted around and saw the commercial break had ended a while ago, and people were starting to die. We watched some more, and I tried to concentrate, but I had so many questions still swirling around in my head. Even thought he action had started, I barely waited until the next commercial break to dive back in.

"Why did they stab yah?"

"We had just beat the fuck outta their buddies, and they knew they were next." He answered easily.

"Why'd the fight start?" I asked next.

"They hit us first. We piss a lotta people off, win too many fights. Usually your Logan will just rough them up some, but they fucked with his truck, so he let me slip out a bit." He explained.

I frowned. "Mah Logan? He ain't yours too?"

"Not by choice." Wolverine muttered.

"Well, Ah like yah both." I said.

"We like you a whole lot too, kitling." He purred.

I blushed and turned the side of my face to press against his upper arm. We stayed like that until the TV drew my attention back again. It was easier to get into the movie now, even though I still had more questions. I'd gotten a lot more answers than I expected. It almost seemed like the simple questions had been harder for him to ask than the ones that I thought would have been bigger. And on the next commercial break, he beat me to it and started asking me his own questions.

"Why aren't you afraid of us?"

I hadn't expected him to ask that at all, so I turned it around and asked him the same thing back.

"Why aren't yah afraid of meh?"

"What're you gonna do to us?" He asked, snorting with arrogant amusement.

"Kill yah." I whispered back.

"There ain't a damn thing that can kill us, kit."

His voice still sounded so freaking sure of himself, and I scowled at the TV, tightening my grip on his arm.

"Really? Yah really want to test which is stronger? Mah skin or yeh healing?"

"Quit your bitching. Life dealt you a shit hand, but you can deal with it. And you're not going to kill me, little kitling. You don't have it in you." He said lowly.

"Exactly." I relaxed and rubbed his arm where I had it in a death grip a moment before. "Yah know Ah'm not gonna hurt yah, an' Ah know yah won't hurt meh."

"You didn't know that when you hid in the truck." He pointed out.

"Ah knew yah were a mutant like meh. Yah had to be, the way yah...yah were jus'...special. Beautiful." I mumbled.

"I was _what_?" He asked, his voice rough with shock.

"It was yah Ah first saw, Ah think." I twisted to nuzzle against his neck and hide my blush. "Yah were in the cage, with yah golden eyes, an' yah jus' looked...so strong. The best thing Ah'd evah seen."

He tightened his grip on me and stroked one hand firmly up and down my back.

"Best thing I've ever seen is you, when we wake up in the morning. The human doesn't have as much control then, and I can see you better. You're awake by then but still here, giving us smiles and coffee. You're the only one we let sleep next to us. We kick all the other women out, but you're ours. You're special too, Marie-mate."

It was the longest I'd heard Wolverine speak at once so far, maybe even more than I'd ever heard Logan say without pause. I wanted to say something equally beautiful back, but I had finally started to get tired, and I didn't think I could match that anyway.

"Marie-mate...that's cute." I whispered, unable to get even that out without yawning.

Wolverine replied with a closer hug, then laid us both down. I slapped around blindly with one hand until it connected with the remote and fumbled to turn the TV off. Wolverine backed up and let me squirm and flop into a comfortable position. I sighed and relaxed, but the very next second, he grabbed me and pulled me over to him. It was a little too close for my comfort, but I'd deal with it for him. I didn't even know when I'd get to see Wolverine next, so I let him rest his head in the crook of my neck, next to the mark he'd left. He purred in my ear, the sound soothing and vibrating in his chest pressed against my side. I fell asleep listening to it and dreamed something happy and warm that I couldn't remember in the morning.

* * *

My feet were hot. I _hated _it when my feet were hot while I tried to sleep, and I reacted accordingly, kicking and flailing until I got them free from the covers again. Wolverine slept so close to me that I didn't need the covers anyway, not when I had his body heat to keep me warm. Something about that fuzzy thought seemed really important though, and it nagged in the back of my mind until I gave up and called his name.

"Hey, kid." A rough voice answered.

I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Must be Logan then. Wolvie called me kit, Logan called me kid. It was the subtle differences. But when I opened my eyes, I saw Logan sitting with his knees drawn up. He was practically in the fetal position, breathing heavily like he was having a panic attack.

"Logan?" I called.

He shuddered, but didn't answer. I reached out and brushed my fingers over his neck. His entire body swayed into the touch, and I pressed more firmly, rubbing his neck. He let out a long, shaky breath, and I leaned against him fully. I ran my hand up into his hair and scratched in his favorite place, and he finally reacted. The next thing I knew, I was in his lap, and he was muttering apologies into my hair. I raised my head to tell him it was alright, and he bent his head down to lap at the mark on my neck.

"Kid, I didn't mean to—" His voice broke. "Sorry."

"Logan, Ah'm alrah-ght."

He didn't respond other than to shove his face more desperately against my neck. I was really starting to get worried. From the way Wolverine had talked, I expected Logan to be angry-upset, not panic-attack-upset.

"Ah'm okay, sugah. He didn't hurt meh. He would never—"

"You don't know what the hell that animal's capable of, Marie." Logan growled, cutting me off.

His self hatred had gotten old months ago, and I was sick of him treating Wolvie like a rabid dog. No wonder the Wolvie in my head was so damn terrified of cages.

"He is a part of yah, Logan! He takes care of meh and protect meh jus' like yah do, and he is a good person!" I snapped.

"You don't—"

This time I cut him off. "He's a good person! And so are yah. Stop being so hard on yehself, yeh gonna give yehself a complex."

"I—fuck, kid." He broke off and hugged me again.

I hugged him back. I wished he could see what I saw...er, heard what I heard. The Wolverine in my head had helped me so much. Logan might have saved me from starving, but I was convinced Wolverine saved me from going crazy.

_Wouldn't go that far, kit._

_Ugh, not yah too! And yah said **Ah** had too much teenage angst..._

"What'd you do?" Logan asked, unintentionally interrupting.

"We watched that movie Ah texted yah about." I replied. "Can yah not remember?"

"Not much...did you call me beautiful?"

I smiled. "...maybeh."

Logan stayed silent, but I could feel his muscles slowly tensing until he finally pushed me back. "No, goddammit! What did he do to you?!"

"What? Ah jus' told yah—"

"I pinned you beneath me—under him, you were trying to get us off. I couldn't stop..." He rasped, his eyes starting to glaze over.

I reached up to grab his face and make him look at me, but he glanced down instead and saw the dried blood on the shirt I'd borrowed. I didn't think it was possible for him to freak out any more at that point, but he did.

"Oh God, Marie."

His voice sounded broken, and he looked even worse than he did at the Dollarama when he thought I'd run away. I gripped his face with both hands and pulled it back up.

"Logan..." He still wouldn't look at me. "Logan!"

His jaw clenched beneath my fingers, but he finally looked up.

"That's yeh blood sugah, not mine. From when yah were stabbed. The blood on yeh shirt soaked into mine. Ah only pushed him off because Ah thought yah were hurt. He didn't hold me down or touch meh in...in a bad way...or anything at all! He jus' wanted to mark meh." I explained.

I shook my head, flipping most of my hair back to show off the mark Wolverine had left on my neck.

"An' Ah am yours. Yeh friend an' packmate an' family. Forevah, sugah. That's all that happened. Ah washed yeh shirt after that, and we watched the movie. He didn't hurt meh." I repeated one more time.

"You're okay? You don't...hate me?" He asked.

"No, Logan." I promised. "I don't hate yah. It was really nice getting to see him. He's lonely too, yah know."

He nodded slowly and looked away. "I uh...I'm gonna go take a shower, kid."

"Alrah-ght. Ah'll wait 'til yah get out." I agreed, still watching him closely. He gave me a suspicious look, and I blushed when I realized what he was thinking about. "He said us showering together was a bad idea and to quit."

He grunted. "Yeah."

I glanced down, and he ruffled my hair before he left. I flopped on my back when he slammed the bathroom door.

_Wolvie?_

_Yeah, kit?_

_Why can't he just stop being so stupid? Why can't they get along? Why do Ah always have to be on mah goddamn period when this stuff happens? Ah really need to use the bathroom..._

_...because life ain't fair...? Shit kitling, I don't know. Logan and I are jest two territorial assholes shoved in one space, and it ain't pretty._

"Beautiful." I mumbled.

_Huh?_

_Ah still think yeh beautiful._

_Tha—_

_But yeah, yeh still assholes._

_Thaaanks. _Wolvie repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

I giggled into my pillow.

_Anytime._

* * *

**A/N: Yay, so that was Marie's "first time" with the Wolverine! I may be a little late with the previews on tumblr tomorrow though, since that's move in day at my dorm. But I'm going to try my damnedest to still get BBW and TBH up on Monday! I'll be moving into my new dorm room all today and tomorrow, but I'll still have Sunday to write, and I don't have work on Monday. So if all else fails, I may just end up posting them later in the afternoon instead of early morning.**

**But think happy thoughts, never fear, and send me lots of encouraging reviews! Also, like I mentioned at the top, I'm putting the month at the start of every chapter now. I don't like trying to work in awkward, stilted transitional phrases at the start of every chapter, ie "...two months passed since Christmas..." So I'm just going to tell you what month it is. Hooray for lazy writing!**

**Coming up next: Marie gets knee deep into trouble with Logan and accidentally says the L word (yeah, that's fucking _love_, kiddos) during a fight! Logan does what Logan does best and runs...**


	20. Yah Asshole

**APRIL**

* * *

Logan drove the truck through the early morning snow, and I slept. I had tried sleeping against the side of the door, but the handle kept digging into my kidneys, and Logan's side was just so much more comfortable. Warm and firm and breathing. Deep, slow breaths and his arm wrapped around me, rubbing my hip and holding me steady on the rough road. I drifted in and out of sleep, mind hazy and too far gone to have any real thoughts, just the occasional awareness of Logan's heartbeat or a passing car.

Then we finally hit a pothole big enough to jostle me despite Logan's grip. I slumped down and felt him trying to tug me back up, but I didn't want to. I wanted to lay on him, curl up against his chest, in his lap, with his scent all around me. I pulled on the leather thing that would be warm and smell like him. I wanted that, and he gave it to me. It did smell like him. I scrunched it up and laid it down where I wanted to rest, his lap. He shook my shoulder, but I liked the warm, safe, dreamy feeling. I nuzzled against his thigh, silently pleading for him to let me stay. He wouldn't talk to me about Wolverine, but I knew he was in there, and sometimes I fought dirty by appealing to him with the small amount of feral instinct I had picked up. I knew it had worked when Logan pressed down on his mark. It might have healed, but we both knew it was still there, and I sighed happily.

I slept for a little over half an hour before I woke up enough to feel it when the truck stopped. Stop signs and traffic lights were town things, and I was curious to know where we were now. I started to sit up, then realized I'd drooled on Logan's leg. I winced and quickly wiped my mouth, looking up just in time to make eye contact with the guy in the car next to us. He grinned widely at me, winked, and gave Logan the thumbs up. Logan floored it when the light turned green, and I could tell he was pissed, but I just snickered. I didn't think too hard about the act itself, Logan was my friend and my cheeks were firetruck red as it was, but there was something oddly satisfying about someone thinking I could give Logan that kind of pleasure.

"Goddamn fucking pervert." Logan grumbled. "Ya gotta be more caref—"

Logan's phone cut him off before he could really get into the lecture.

"Ain't yah gonna answer that, sugah?" I asked, giving him my best good little girl look.

He scowled at me and grabbed the phone, grunting into the end of it. I could hear the voice on the other end, male, older, obviously surprised, but I couldn't quite make out what the actual words. Whatever it he said, Logan snapped the phone shut in the middle of it. The phone rang two more times, but Logan ignored it. He seemed tense this morning.

"Stop being so pissy. Anyone desperate enough to call yah must really need yah help." I said.

Logan glared at the road. Maybe provoking him wasn't the smartest idea, but he clearly needed to get whatever this was out of his system. And my mouth had always had a bad habit of starting trouble for me. I really just wanted Logan to open up to me though. If he had a problem, I wanted him to be able to tell me about it. I told him about all of my problems and feelings and trusted him. If getting him pissed off enough to yell at me was what it took for him to tell me what his damn problem was, I'd take that over the silent brooding act.

But it didn't have to come to that just yet, and even I could recognize that was probably an unhealthy way of communicating with each other anyway. So I scooted over and rubbed his free hand on the gear shift. I brushed my fingers over his knuckles the way I knew he liked it and stroked his shoulder with my other hand. He didn't relax though, and if anything, I could feel him tense up even more.

"Are yah alrah-ght, sugah?" I asked.

He craned his head back, and I obligingly ran my fingers up through his hair. He didn't answer, but he let me pet him for several seconds before he flexed his hand, shaking mine off. I pulled my other hand back a little, but he leaned back into it again, so I kept rubbing his head.

Finally, he muttered, "Gotta headache."

I knew that was crap, but I let it slide. Flat out asking him about something he didn't want to talk about made him feel cornered and then he shut down. Calling him on his crap would only start a fight, and I wasn't quite ready for that. I'd give him a while to either tell me about it or work it out on his own before I resorted to that. He reached forward and answered the phone the next time it rang, so at least I might be able to find out what that was about. The voice on the other end growled out something that was too static-y for me to hear.

"I ain't doing no computer shit." Logan growled in return.

The voice spluttered, and I caught the very end of it, "—down here."

"I'm two days away, and this shit better be good." Logan replied.

"Good—you—make it—got—a guy—know something—coming this way."

Logan didn't bother to reply or even say goodbye and snapped the phone shut again. He turned to take the next exit. I stayed quiet and reminded myself of my promise to give him time before I started prying.

* * *

We drove all through the night to get to wherever the next morning. Wherever turned out to be an old bar on the outskirts of a town I didn't know the name of. Logan parked the truck in front but left the key in the ignition with the heater running.

"Wait here." He ordered.

"Why?"

He paused with his hand on the handle. "Because I told you to."

"How long are yah gonna be in there?" I asked.

"Five minutes, two hours, I don't fucking know, kid."

I started to unbuckle my seatbelt as he got out. "Ah wanna come in."

Logan heaved a sigh. "Hold on."

He leaned down and messed with something on the side of his door before he slammed it shut. I watched him walk around the truck and open my door for me, but he did the same thing on the side of my door instead of offering me his hand. It dawned on me that something was up, but he slammed my door shut before I could do anything about it. I tried the handle, but the door wouldn't open. I stared at his back in shock as he walked away.

He'd put the childproof locks on. He'd fucking—

I was so angry, I didn't even have words for it. I just screamed his name in pure rage until my throat hurt. I could understand why he didn't want me to go with him to the bars where he fought at night, but it was ten in the morning. There weren't any other cars in the parking lot, and he hadn't even told me why I couldn't come inside. He just locked me in like I was a stupid, unwanted child.

_Don't go stickin' words in his mouth, kit. Yer not stupid or unwanted._

"Oh, but Ah am a child?!" I demanded, so angry I answered out loud.

_Ya kinda are throwin' a tantrum..._

"Yah ain't even seen a tantrum yet!" I snapped.

_Kitling, don't—_

"No, _yah_ don't!" I yanked the glove box open and rifled through it. "How pissed would yah be if Ah locked yah up somewhere an' jus' walked away?"

He didn't answer, and I kept looking.

"No explanation!"

Papers and passports.

"Not telling yah when Ah'll be back!"

A bunch of napkins.

"Not even an apology!"

His stupid cigars.

"It's jus' insulting, an' Ah—aha!"

I held up the sharp metal thing triumphantly. I didn't know what it was called, but it looked kind of like an ice pick, and it was that thing you were supposed to use to break the window in case of an emergency where you were trapped in your car or underwater or something.

_The fuck are ya doin' kit?_

"Well Ah ain't staying in here, that's for damn sure!" I replied, taking my first swing at the window.

I felt the impact all the way up to my elbows, and I couldn't see any difference in the window. Wolvie growled at me to cut this shit out in my mind, but I ignored him and hit the window again. This time I could see a chip. It took three more swings to get the window to crack. I tossed the ice pick thingy on the seat and pressed my hands against the window to try to shove the glass out, but Wolverine snarled loud enough in my mind that I paid attention.

_Yer gonna cut yerself! If yer gonna do this, do it fuckin' right._

_How?_

The first flash of images showed me how to use my elbow to knock the glass out, but then Wolvie reconsidered. The next flashes were of me laying back against the seat and using my boots to kick the window out instead, so I wouldn't accidentally bruise or cut myself. I followed his advice, and two firm kicks later, most of the window was gone. I kicked a few more jagged pieces of glass off the edges, then sat back up, kneeling on the seat.

The doors should open from the outside, and I leaned out the empty space where the window had been to see how far down the handle was. It wasn't too far, but it was at an awkward angle to try to reach, so I leaned a little farther. The wind blew snow in my eyes, and I fumbled around for the handle. By the time I realized I'd leaned a little too far forward, I was already falling. I couldn't decide whether to try to catch myself or bring my arms up to protect my head, and that hesitation cost me both decisions. I slid down the side of the truck and hit the asphalt in a crumpled heap.

My head throbbed and my stomach felt like it was on fire, despite the snow drifting down around me. I looked down and saw two pieces of glass sticking out past rips in my shirt. The largest one was nearer to my side, and the smaller shard had stabbed into my stomach. I grasped the larger piece and braced myself.

_Don't pull it out, kit! It'll jest bleed worse!_

But I couldn't let Logan see me like this. If I was going to go staggering into the bar all cut up and bloody, I would at least do it without looking like a glass pin cushion. He was going to freak out enough as it wa—

I yanked the glass out in the middle of the thought, not giving myself time to think about what I was doing and chicken out. I think I might have passed out for a second, but the glass came out clean. Only one more left.

_Goddammit, kitling! Yer hurt and ya gotta call fer Logan—_

_Not gonna do that._

He snarled at me, but I couldn't let Logan see this. I'd made him and Wolverine both a promise, and now I'd gone and screwed it all up.

_Help meh?_

Wolvie stayed quiet. I didn't blame him. He might not be the same as Logan's Wolverine, but I'd sort of broken my promise to him too. I let out a shuddering breath. My head felt too heavy to lift, so I fumbled blindly at my stomach. I tried to find the cut where the biggest piece of glass had been, so I could work my way over and not accidentally jar the piece of glass still stuck in me, but my fingers only met slick, smooth skin. I cautiously pressed a little harder, but although I could feel the blood, I couldn't find the cut. Like when Logan had been stabbed. My head still hurt though, and I could feel lots of smaller cuts on my arms, shoulders, and back making themselves known.

_Sorry, kit. I think that's all I can help ya._

As many questions as I had, I didn't have time to really think through exactly what had happened, and I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Logan probably hurt something, either when I kicked out the window or when I fell, and he'd be out here to see what had happened any minute now. I tried to muster up enough strength to pull out the other shard, but I felt so tired. Maybe whatever my Wolvie had done for me had used up my energy or something.

I did the only rationally thing I could do and started laughing. Logan had locked me in his truck, and I had though it was a good idea to break the goddamn window, and now he was going to find me, and I was going to be in so much freaking trouble. The door burst open and Logan ran out, right on time. I tried to quiet down my wheezing giggles so I wouldn't seem completely crazy, laughing and laying in a heap on the asphalt. He knelt beside me and gave me a quick look over before picking me up and cradling me against his chest. I stayed as still as I could while he carried me inside, shouting for someone named Sally.

He laid me down on top of the bar and hovered over me. I was still really out of it, and only managed to open my eyes to blink at him rather stupidly. He pushed my hair back off my face, and I could feel his fingers probing at the cut on my head. I closed my eyes and relaxed into his touch. I would be in a crap ton of trouble later, but right now Logan was taking care of me, and I knew I would be alright. His hands skimmed gently over my ruined shirt and stomach. I dimly realized he was touching my bare skin. He hadn't even hesitated or asked if my skin was on. It was as if the thought truly didn't occur to him, like I was just any other normal person. He didn't need to worry though. I was tired and in pain, but I wasn't scared at all. Worried a little maybe, but I knew he wouldn't let anyone hurt me.

"Let me see what happ—"

The voice sounded older and feminine, but Logan cut her off with a snarl. He bent his body over mine, practically crouching over me to keep her back. I cracked my eyes open enough to see an old lady who looked like anybody's grandma standing next to us.

"What happened?" She asked again.

"Left her in the truck." Logan answered in a rough voice.

"And what'd she do?"

I turned my head and saw an old man on the other side of the bar. His arms were folded, and he looked hilariously grumpy. Or maybe I was just dizzy from blood loss.

"Kick out the goddamn window?" He demanded.

That started up my wheezing giggles again. That was exactly what I did. Whoops.

"It seemed...like a good idea...at the time." I gasped out.

"And now you have a bump on your head and a piece of glass stuck in your stomach." The old lady replied. "So stop talking and try to hold still while I take it out and get you stitched back up."

I gave a dazed nod and managed to stop laughing. She stepped forward, but Logan snarled again and stabbed the counter. It was hard to hear Wolvie in my head, almost like he was tired too, but I felt how badly he wanted to protect me from these new people.

I looked up at Logan. "Hey, sugah."

He closed his eyes and started taking deep breaths. I knew he was listening though. Wolvie said my voice always calmed him down.

"Ah know yeh pissed, an' Ah know Ah'm in a lot of trouble...but yah gotta let the nice woman fix meh up." I whispered.

I reached out to touch his hand and rubbed his knuckles briefly. His claws were still out, and I slipped my fingers in between them and squeezed his hand. He matched his breathing to mine and opened his eyes again.

"Yer wrong, kid."

I tried to get him to look at me, but when he finally did, I froze.

"Ya have no fuckin' idea how much trouble yer in." He growled, leaning in close to me.

I gulped and nodded. He retracted his claws and stroked my hair again. The old couple both flinched, like they thought he was going to hit me or something. I tried to ignore them and nuzzled against his hand. I could apologize to Logan in person after I got fixed up, but he probably wouldn't let Wolverine out even so I could say sorry to him too, so I would have to show him in other ways.

Logan let the old lady move closer to me, and I felt her going over my head next. She wiped the blood off and must have disinfected it because I felt it burn as she wiped a wet cloth over the cut. My head must not have been too badly hurt though, because she moved on to my stomach next. Logan stayed semi-calm while she pulled out the last piece of glass and disinfected that too, but when she decided I needed stitches, he lost it again.

"Logan." I called.

He was hovering over me again in the very next second, and I held out my hand again. He mine with his own, and I reached over to put my left hand on top of his. The claws were out again, and I rubbed the dull top edge.

I tried to give him a reassuring smile. "Go take a walk, sugah. Ah'll be fah-ne."

"I'll be right outside." He growled, lingering a moment longer.

"It'll jus' be a few minutes, an' then yah can yell at meh all yah want." I promised, squeezing his hand.

He grunted in reply and released my hand, snarling at the old man on his way out. I laid back and closed my eyes tight, bracing myself for the needle.

"My name is Sally, and this is Norman." The old lady said.

I opened an eye. "Ah'm Rogue."

I didn't think this was exactly the best time to give out introductions. It seemed to me like that was something we could do after we got this over with, but Sally smiled and nodded.

"That's an interesting name." She said in an overly polite tone.

"Thanks."

Maybe I let a little bit more sarcasm slip into that than was respectful, but I really just wanted to get this stitches thing over with already. She swiped the cloth over my stomach again, making soft, motherly noises. I resisted the urge to growl at her.

Norman picked up the conversation next. "So how did you meet—"

"If yah ask meh how Ah met Logan, an' where mah parents are, an' if he hurts meh, Ah'm gonna use this here piece of glass to shank yah, so jus' make with the goddamn stitching already!" I snapped.

"Well, you're the Wolverine's kid alright." He said with an amused grin.

"Logan ain't mah da—aahhh!"

Sally had made with the stitching, and _goddamn_, it hurt. I clenched my jaw and closed my eyes again. Logan was just outside, and I knew he'd be able to hear it if I yelled or screamed. The next time she dug the needle in, I made another choked off gasp of pain and prayed he couldn't hear it, because that was as quiet as I could be about it.

"Ah don't care wha...ahhh...t it looks lah-ke tah yahhhh. He ain't nevah-ah-ahh laid a fing—aah...hah...on meh." I gasped through the stitches.

Norman took pity on me and motioned to Sally to stop. I didn't need his damn pity though, and stopping now would only make it harder to start again, now that I knew what was coming. But he didn't say any pointless niceties or give me unwanted advice, just wordlessly handed me a bottle. I took a big swig before I could think the better of it and froze. It burned almost as bad going down my throat as the needle did, and I could feel the almost overwhelming urge to cough and splutter. But that would use my stomach muscles and would only make it hurt worse. I held my breath and fought the urge back down until I could breath normally again.

"Thanks." I croaked, much more sincerely.

I set the bottle back down though. The alcohol burned in my stomach and through my limbs, warming my body and making my head feel fuzzy. It had already been pretty fuzzy before, from the bump and the pain and the exhaustion. The last few stitches didn't hurt nearly as bad, and I decided that maybe I liked Norman after all. Logan walked back in just after Sally finished up, and I tried to grab for him.

"Looooo..." I whined.

He kept moved though. Or maybe the room was moving. I certainly felt like I was spinning, then falling, but I landed on Logan's chest, so it was okay. I sighed happily and pressed my face against him. His chest was warm and solid and not spinning. He would hold me in place and keep me safe. I heard Norman say something, but he wasn't important. Logan was important, and he growled something about advil. He sounded angry, and I didn't want that, so I hugged him harder and told him not to be mad. Sally talked next, and then I was floating again. It almost scared me until I remembered Logan was still holding me, so I was safe. He didn't have to stomp like a herd of goddamn elephants though.

The floating stopped, leaving me to rest on something soft. Logan tried to pull away, but I clung tighter. I didn't want him to go.

"M'sorry." I mumbled.

He stayed for a little longer, then nuzzled against my cheek. It wasn't forgiveness, but at least he wasn't so mad he wouldn't touch me. I slumped back down on the softness and pulled some of it over my head to block out the bright lights. Logan got up, and the horrid light went out. But then I heard him opening the door, and the realization that he was leaving woke me up like a bucket of cold water.

"You'll be back?" I asked, staring at him like I could keep him here just by looking at him.

He came back over and touched my face. "I'll always be back, kid."

I tilted my chin up, and he kissed my forehead. Everything would be okay. I laid back down and fell into an exhausted, dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next time I woke up, I could hear a dull roar coming from below me. I didn't think it was just the pounding in my head either, although it really did hurt. In fact, everything felt sore and generally achey, and my stomach downright hurt. That could have been either the cut or the alcohol though, so I gave myself a minute to get used to be conscious again. I could feel Wolvie in my mind, but my head hurt too badly for me to really want to talk to him. He retreated to the background, and I peeked through my lashes. The room had stopped spinning at least, so I risked sitting up. It didn't make me feel great, but I could manage.

Standing was next and walking after that. It was more of a stagger really, but I straightened up and had the hang of it a little better by the time I made it to the stairs. People were definitely screaming downstairs, and it hurt my head. I knew Logan must be down there though, and from the sound of the screams, he was probably the one fighting. I couldn't miss what might be my only chance to see him fight, so I pressed on through the crowd. Norman saw me and waved me over to the bar. I reached the counter and saw Logan's jacket draped over the only empty stool. Nobody dared sit there, but people were cheering and pressing up close and spilling beer everywhere, so I grabbed his jacket and held it protectively to my chest. I wasn't entirely sure if I was protecting his jacket or using it to protect myself. I hopped up onto the counter and sat there with my feet on Logan's stool, both to get a little breathing room from the crowd and to see above all the other people.

I saw Logan getting his ass kicked.

One guy held him back while the other punched him in the face. They were both at least a foot taller than him, and the crowd went absolutely wild for it. I felt my breath catch as I silently urged him to throw the guy off, flip him over, do something, but the hits just didn't stop. He couldn't even get his feet under him though, and the guy in front started punching him in the stomach next. Logan doubled over and coughed up blood, and I was screaming along with the crowd before it even registered what I was doing. His body tensed like he had heard me, and he let out a roar let enough that everything seemed to stop for a second. I sucked in a sharp breath at the sound, the guy in front of him flinched, and even the roar of the crowd faltered.

Then Logan bent down and threw the guy behind him, straight into the other guy. They both went down, and Logan was on them in a second. He straddled the one that had been punching him and laid in with some payback, and I screamed out my joy at the revenge. The other guy tried to grab Logan from behind again, but he hit him in the face with his elbow without even breaking the rhythm of his punches. The guy behind him fell back and was either unconscious or smart enough not to get up again, and the guy Logan was slugging had stopped moving three or four punches back. Finally, he stopped, and the crowd went silent.

I hopped off the counter with a whoop, and the crowd cheered with me. Logan looked up, and his eyes locked with mine, the way they had months ago when we first saw each other. Somebody opened the cage door, and he stalked out. I lost sight of him for a second, but then the crowd parted and he was right in front of me. I stepped into his embrace when he wrapped an arm around me, but when I looked up, his eyes were golden.

"Wolvie?" I called.

He gripped the side of the bar and straightened his back, breathing slowly and blinking the gold out of his eyes. I wanted to see Wolverine, but now was definitely not the time to press the issue, so I just rubbed his arm soothingly and waited.

"Not tonight, kid." He rasped.

I tried to swallow my disappointment, but he noticed.

"Ya really wanna talk to him? 'Cause he's just as fucking pissed, maybe even more. Ya promised him not to pull shit like that." He growled.

I opened my mouth, but Logan leaned down and cut me off before I could reply.

"We'll have a real long talk about that...later." He whispered. "Right now, just sit tight for a bit."

He gave my neck a quick nip before he turned back, and I couldn't stop a shiver. He guided me back to sit on the barstool and leaned on the counter next to me, so close our sides brushed against each other whenever we inhaled. I took it as a positive sign that he wasn't storming out or sending me back upstairs. Norman slid him a beer and me a glass of water. A lot of people came up to Logan to congratulate him and talk about previous or future matches, but none of them talked to me. I thought that was kind of rude, but Logan was probably scaring them with the way he scowled and flexed his hands whenever someone looked at me for too long. I was in enough trouble already without pushing it, so I stayed quiet and sipped my water.

I'd slept all day long, but the whatever it was that had happened with the healing had really taken it out of me, and I started yawning after a while. Logan stopped his conversation with Norman and ushered me upstairs. Some of the women called after him and a lot of them gave me jealous glares as we passed, but I resisted the impulse to stick my tongue out at them. And I had bigger problems to deal with anyway, like the way Logan slammed the door behind us.

"Sooooo." I mumbled, biting my lip.

"So." Logan repeated with a snort.

"Are yah gonna yell at meh now?" I asked.

Logan leaned against the door and crossed his arms. "I don't know what to do with ya, kid."

I ignored the distracting way his biceps bulged. "Not locking meh in the truck would be a good start."

"I told you to wait until I got back." He replied, glaring at me.

"But yah didn't tell me why! Ah still don't know why! Norm and Sally are nice people. They helped meh, and Ah came inside anyway, so why couldn't Ah have just done that from the start?" I asked, trying to keep my tone in check before I really pissed him off.

"Because I told you to wait."

Screw my tone. "And how'd that work out for yah?!"

Logan growled at me, and I looked down while I tried to regain my composure. I was trying to prove to him I wasn't a child, and sassing him wasn't going to help my case any.

"Yah treated meh like a retarded toddler that would drink Draino the second yah turned yah back. Honestly, Logan. What did yah think would happen?" I asked with a huff.

"I didn't think ya would pour yerself a goddamn glass." He growled back.

"Okay, yes. Breaking the window was stupid, and Ah'm sorry." I admitted.

He just snorted at me again.

"Ah am! Ah have yah in mah head; Ah know yah were trying to protect meh. Ah jus' don't understand what yah were protecting meh from, an' yah never tell meh anything, an' Norm is jus' a nice old man who—"

"That _nice old man_ is an ex mercenary who's killed more people in more places than you can even imagine, little girl." Logan interrupted.

I swallowed, but held his gaze. "...well. Now Ah know."

"And if you had trusted me from the start, you wouldn't know anything about that shit and you wouldn't have gotten hurt." He said.

"And if yah had trusted meh, yah could've just said that first, and Ah wouldn't have had to find out like this." I retorted.

"You don't need to be knowing this stuff, kid."

"Yes, Ah do!"

"No, your only job—"

"Is to let yah take care of meh?" I demanded, not letting him finish.

"Yes!"

"No!" I took a deep breath, but it didn't anything to help me calm down. "Yah so stupid, Logan! Yah think Ah can't do anything for yah, but yeh wrong! Yah can trust meh, and tell meh things, and let meh see yah fight! Ah can do stuff for yah, too!"

"You don't have t—"

"Yes, Ah do, because Ah love yah, yah asshole!" I shouted at him.

I snapped my mouth shut the instant I said it, but it was already too late. Logan's mouth hung slack, and he reached for the door knob while we stared at each other. I let him go when he ran out.

"Shit!" I screamed at the empty room.

_Ya love him, kit?_

I panted and fought back tears. _Of course! The two of yeh are the only family Ah've got._

_I'm real sorry he's fuckin' it up, but ya can't...jest don't let him go like this ki—_

_Ain't planning on it._

I set my jaw and stormed out of the room, down the stairs, back into the crowd. There was still an empty swarth through the crowd where Logan had passed, and I felt people staring at me as I followed in his footsteps, out the door. His truck was parked right out front, and I found him sitting on the ground, leaning back against one of the front tires.

"Logan!"

I grabbed his hand and tried to pull him up and he tried to pull his hand back. I wasn't putting up with this tug of war crap though, so I fought dirty and dug my nails in.

"Come inside, Logan." I demanded.

"M'gonna fuck this up." He mumbled, not looking up.

"Yah already are. And look where I am." I waited for him to look at me before I continued. "Ah'm rah-ght here, sugah. So go ahead an' fuck up an' run. Ah'll find yah, didn't Ah promise yah that too?"

I moved forward slowly, treating him like a wounded animal. A scared little man-puppy. Wolverine snorted at the mental image.

"Ah fucked up too tonight, but yah didn't give up on meh. An' Ah ain't evah gonna give up on yah. Yeh mah best friend, an' Ah love yah, an' Ah swear to Gawd, Logan. If yah don't come back inside rah-ght now, Ah'll knock yah out and drag yeh man-puppy ass back in mahself." I promised.

When he didn't reply, I dug my nails in a little deeper in warning, then tugged on his hand again. He stood back up and followed me back into the bar, and I kept my grip tight on his hand.

"Where'd you run off to in such a hurry?" Norman asked.

"Got something out of my truck." Logan muttered.

"Yeah, what's that?"

"He got a goddamn clue. Have a nice night, Norm." I told Norman, giving him my sweetest mean smile while I dragged Logan up the stairs after me.

Logan kicked the door shut behind us and let me pull him into bed with me. Neither of us really cared that we were fully clothed, although we both kicked off our shoes. I didn't know what Norman and Sally would think of us inviting ourself to stay the night and sharing a bed on top of that, but we did have all our clothes on, and I really didn't care what they thought. I lay beside Logan, and he wrapped his arm around my waist. His arm was thick enough to almost cover my entire torso, and I held on to it. I knew Logan liked to cuddle, no matter how tough he tried to act, but any closer than this made me feel smothered. He seemed content with the compromise though, and I could feel his breath evening out against my shoulder.

"Love ya, kid."

I lifted his hand up and kissed it. "Ah know."

* * *

**A/N: So this is late...kind of. It's still Monday, and not even late night Monday either. And they finally said I love you! YAY, milestone! So please try to forgive me.**

**And if you have any questions about Marie's Wolverine, why he doesn't just tell her she's Logan's mate, or how the healing thing worked...please trust me! There WILL be explanations, just later. So if you can just bear with me until then, I promise it will be worth it.**

**Also, in response to a review I got for BBW, I really did think hard about Marie's use of the word retarded, in case any one else reading this story is concerned. It's a word that gets slung around a lot, and I have never met a teenager whose close friends/family hasn't been affected by down syndrome who actually thinks of their use of the word. I realize what a big issue it is, but I also don't think Marie would consider that before using the word. Despite her mutation, she's still just a (semi) average teenager who doesn't think about stuff like that. Logan himself has also uttered some (okay, A LOT) of things that I personally find really sexist. I didn't write those things because I agree with them, but because I think it's something his character would say. Please keep that in mind if you ever hear one of my characters say something you find offensive.**

**So there's my little politically correct disclaimer. I hope that's understandable, and no one is terribly offended.**

**Coming up next: Logan keeps cage fighting and lets Marie keep watching. But that doesn't sit well with a couple of jealous bar flies who want their old wham-bam-thanks-bitch Wolverine back, and Marie has to stand up for herself...**


	21. Ain't Nobody Touch My Man

I finally convinced Logan to let me see him fight, although I had to agree to a lot of rules to do it. But the best part was that I got to see Wolverine, even if only in the cage and for a few seconds afterward. He looked just as beautiful and strong as I remembered, and I knew sometimes he showed off for me. He always looked for me in the crowd, and he always fought harder when I cheered for him. And after the match was over, he'd come straight back to me. Sometimes he would leave another light bite mark on my neck and sometimes it would just be a firm nuzzle. I think he liked that everyone saw when he did it. I kind of did.

That was the only time Logan let him out though. I wanted more, to be able to talk to him and snuggle with him the way I did with Logan, but I decided not to press too hard for now. Wolvie must have thought the same, because it seemed like he and Logan fought a lot less. Logan didn't frown and space out as much, and it didn't seem like a struggle every time he took back control after the matches. It wasn't exactly what I wanted, but I thought it was a good sign that they'd apparently managed to work out some sort of compromise at least. Baby steps.

Tonight, Wolvie had left another mark. It didn't hurt, just stung a little. And I knew how much he liked showing people we were pack-mates and belonged together, so I didn't mind. If he didn't heal so quickly and I wasn't so shy, I'd probably be tempted to mark him back. Logan took over right after, and he drank Molson's from the bottle while I sipped my glass of water. I wasn't really thirsty, I just liked having something to do with my hands so I didn't feel so awkward.

I loved watching Logan fight, but even I had to admit to myself that bars weren't really places I felt comfortable in. Logan stayed right next to me the entire time he wasn't in the cage though, and he always kept an arm around my side so I felt safe. He talked to a few of the other patrons, as much as Logan talks at least, and glanced at the TV above the counter to check the score of a hockey game every now and then. He had one more match, and then he'd promised to head back to the hotel with me to watch a late night showing of Die Hard. I'd insisted on it because I'd never gotten to watch R rated action movies before, and the first one was back when Bruce Willis still had hair. Not that he wasn't still pretty yummy, but I wanted to start at the beginning. And I figured that with all the action and fighting, Logan might even like it a little too. It looked like the night was going to turn out perfectly too, until some big boobed tramp tried to mess it all up.

She walked right up to us and stopped in front of Logan with a flirty smile. "Hey, champ. You gonna ignore us all night? We're real big...fans."

Some other girls made catcalls at him from a nearby table, one of them flipping her perfect platinum blond hair to the side and winking suggestively. I couldn't understand how she did such a flawless hair flip. The last time I tried practicing doing those hair flips, I made my neck so sore I couldn't turn my head for a week.

"Fuck off, April. I'm busy." Logan growled, his voice cutting through my envy.

She crossed her arms and glared at him. "It's May."

Logan just shrugged and took another swig before he answered. "Close enough."

"Only for you, champ." She said with a pouty sigh. "And don't worry, I'm sure you can find a babysitter for the night."

"He's not mah dad." I cut in, just to clarify.

"Oh? Guess you're just friends then, huh?" She sneered at me.

I took another sip of water and tried to take the high road too while I was at it. But little miss May-flower just had to keep going.

"'Cause the last time he was here, we got to be real good friends." She purred with a smirk.

And I took the nearest exit off the high road. "Just because a man lets yah touch his dick, it doesn't mean yeh friends...don't yah think yeh a little old not to know that?"

_Heh. Ya could've jest called her a cunt._

_The truth hurts more._

"—little young to be touching his dick?" May-flower was saying. "He needs a real woman, not some cabbage patch kid. We've fucked in ways you can't even imagine, so—"

Logan cut her off by standing up with a growl. I tried to pull him back down, but he just shrugged my hand off and placed himself between the two of us.

"Don't think I won't hit ya jest 'cause ya got a cunt." He growled, getting in her face.

"No, yeh not gonna hit her 'cause she's smaller than yah, an' yah could literally break her entire face, an' she doesn't deserve that. So sit down." I ordered, pulling on his arm again and using my best _bad man-puppy, bad_ voice.

Logan leaned back against the bar counter, but he didn't sit down again. At least he was out of her face. She really was a cunt, but I knew how much it hurt to get smacked around by someone bigger than you, and it made my stomach hurt to think of Logan in that way. Wolvie made soothing noises in my head, and I calmed down enough to turn back to May. She needed to go, but I refused to sink to her white trash level and just yell at her. And like I'd told Wolvie, the truth hurts more.

"Yah wanna fuck him?" I paused and looked her in the eye. "Fah-ne. It ain't none of mah business who he sticks his dick in, an' who knows? Yah might get his pants down yet. But the difference between yah and meh? He takes his boots off when he's with meh."

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" She demanded, completely missing the point.

"Go find a man who'll actually remember yah name an' treat yah with the respect yah deserve, an' maybe then yah'll find out." I answered.

She might be acting pretty awful right now, but men made women crazy, especially men like Logan. I wasn't exactly being all nice and sugar and spice right now either, so I tried not to resent her too badly. Everyone deserved to find someone who would love and respect them, even trashy fight groupies.

"Fuck you!" She shouted back.

But then again, whatever. I wasn't her mother or her father or whoever it was that had screwed up her self esteem. She wasn't my problem to fix, and right now she just needed to get away from my Logan. She glared at me like she was waiting for me to scream back at her, but I was a lady, and she could go fuck herself. After a few seconds she got too flustered and looked away, then finally stormed off in a cloud of daddy issues. Logan tightened his arm around me and leaned closer.

"Ya alright, kid?" He asked.

I just nodded and took another drink.

"I ain't gonna fuck her." He said.

I stared at my glass. "Not mah business."

"Thought you said my business was your business, and I should start telling you shit." He said, raising an eyebrow.

"There _is_ such thing as too much information, Logan. An' Ah really don't need to know about yeh choice of..." I fumbled for a word. "...bed partners."

He smirked and nudged me. "Bed partners?"

"Whatever. Yah know what Ah mean. An' if yah wanna come back after yah drop meh off at the hotel—"

"Hey." He brushed his knuckles under my chin and lifted my head up. "I ain't gonna be fuckin' anyone. You wanted to watch that movie, remember?"

"Yeah, but it's jus' a stupid movie an'—"

Logan cut me off. "And nothing. You said we were best friends, right?"

I smiled softly and gave him another nod.

"We're pack-mates, and you come first. Always, kid." He said, waiting for another nod. "Good. I got another match coming up, and we'll get outta here after that. You gonna be okay 'til then?"

"Yeah."

He stroked my hair, then turned and called to the bar tender. "Hey, Joe! Keep an eye on her. And you..."

"Ah'll wait rah-ght here. Ah won't go anywhere else, Ah won't speak to anyone, an' Ah'll yell if Ah need yah." I said, repeating the rules back to him like I always did.

"Good girl. Kiss for luck?" He grinned and leaned back down.

I blushed again and quickly kissed his cheek. His facial hair felt rough against my lips. He pulled back and ruffled my hair, then walked off. The crowd moved aside for him as he climbed into the cage with the winner of the last match. He shot me a cocky grin and wink, his eyes turning golden as Wolverine took more control. I smiled back and tried not to cringe when he took a punch to the face. He always let his opponents play a little and think they had a chance. I guess it wouldn't be quite as exciting if he went in and ended each match in under a minute, which I knew he was capable of doing.

He let the other guy get his punches in and toyed with a few hits of his own. I'd learned not to start cheering until he was ready to win. He just couldn't seem to help himself once I started screaming, and I'd accidentally set him off and ended a couple of matches early. After a few minutes though, I saw the change in the way he held himself and knew he'd start beating the guy down. The next time the guy threw a punch, he knocked his arm away and punched him back for real. I took a deep breath.

"Hey, bitch!"

I turned toward the voice just in time to get slapped off my stool. I hit the ground hard, but managed to land mostly on my knees and forearms. I pushed up on my hands and knees, but someone kicked me hard in the side before I could get up. I rolled with the kick the best I could and looked up to see who was attacking me. May raised a foot to stomp on my chest.

_Bring the bitch down to yer level!_

I reached out and grabbed her other boot, yanking her foot out from under her. Her eyes widened almost comically as she fell back, arms and legs flailing wildly.

_Get on top!_

I cringed away. My first instinct was to run before she could get back up, but Wolvie shouted in my head for me to attack instead.

"You...ugly little...bitch." She groaned, sitting up.

"Don't start this with me." I warned her.

She lurched up onto her knees, and we both crouched on the floor of the bar, eyeing each other. She made the first move, getting a foot beneath her and lunging at me. I reached blindly behind me, grabbed the first thing I got my hand wrapped around, and swung it around at her as I stood up. The bar stool slammed into her side. I felt the wood splinter in my hand, and she smacked against the counter. The entire crowd went silent. I looked up and saw the people had formed a half circle around us.

May got to her feet, but she staggered back around the counter, and I assumed she was running away. I looked back to the cage and locked eyes with Wolverine. His widened and he roared, just as I heard a _chh-chh_ from behind me. My mind didn't register what the sound was, but my Wolvie did, and he screamed at me to get down. I immediately dropped to the ground, and a second roar sounded behind me. Someone in the crowd screamed, and then everyone panicked and tried to run in every direction. People were shoving and shouting, and I stayed huddled in a ball with my back pressed against the counter as I tried not to get trampled.

I heard a snarl and looked up to see Wolverine push his way through the crowd, claws already out. I heard the sound again and craned my head up. The barrel of a shotgun pointed over the counter, and claws sliced through the air and metal both. Pieces of the barrel fell down around me, but the gun still kicked. When I looked at Wolverine next, he was stumbling back with lead sprayed across his chest.

Something snapped inside me, and I stood up before she could reload. May raised the now sawed off shotgun again, but I jumped over the counter and crashed into her. We both went down, and I landed on top with the gun wedged between us.

_The gun!_

Wolvie snarled something about disarming her, but I didn't know how to do the move that was second nature to him. I just wrenched it out of her hands instead and smashed the butt of it into her stomach instead. I didn't know what to do with the gun either, so I tossed it aside after that and got to my feet, dragging May up with me by her hair. She screamed and tried to grab my hands, so I slammed her face into the edge of the counter.

Then I did it again.

And again.

I didn't even know I was screaming until I let go of her, and the only sound in the bar was the thump when she hit the ground and the echo of my voice. Wolverine stared at me, slack jawed. I tried to smile at him to let him know I was okay, but it came out more like a grimace, only showing off my teeth the way he did when he tried to smile. I turned to look over at Joe next, who flinched and offered me something with shaking hands. My eyes flickered down to the envelope, and I realized it was the jackpot for tonight's winner. I shook my head.

"Keep it for repairs." I told him, then raised my voice. "And someone call an ambulance for whoever else got shot."

I stepped over May and started to make my out from behind the bar, but I caught a glimpse a bottle of Jack Daniels. I grabbed it, turned back to Joe, and held it up. He nodded rapidly, and I smiled at him. He flinched again, and I decided no more smiling for the rest of the night. I took the bottle with me as I walked around the counter. I figured Wolverine would probably have the same taste in alcohol as Logan, and whoever it was that got control while I pulled out all the lead shot in his chest was definitely going to need it. Wolverine wrapped his arm around my waist the instant I got close enough, and he guided me past all the other cowering customers as we walked out the bar.

* * *

**A/N: Wow, yeah...so...short chapter. BUT the last one was super long, so if you think about it, they even out. Please don't be angry, have a chocolate drizzled Logan...or maybe a chocolate drizzled Wolverine, if that's your thing...**

**Actually, I have a question about that. The next chapter starts off at the hotel with an injured and pissed off man-puppy. So who do you want to have gotten control on the car ride over? Do you want to see more of Wolvie or would you rather have Logan back? I can write in some more fluffy WolviexMarie moments, or I can just skip over that and get straight to the Logan part. He really is the main character, so I don't want you guys to feel like Wolverine is completely taking over. But if you do want a bit more of him, vote for Wolvie. If you want to get back to Logan, vote for him.**

**Cast your votes with reviews of course!**

**Coming up next: Marie has to deal with a pissed off, overprotective man-puppy and try to get it through both their heads that they can't protect her from everything...**


	22. My Brave Wolvie

**A/N: Quick note: If you haven't already read The Big Bad Wolf, go back and read that first! You need Wolverine's perspective to understand what's really going on.**

* * *

**JUNE**

* * *

Wolverine apparently knew how to drive, because the gold never faded from his eyes on the way back to the motel. He got out of the truck, and I waited patiently for him to open my door. Nothing happened for a few moments until I saw him trot back up to my side. I felt a little bad and a lot spoiled. It wasn't Wolvie's fault he didn't remember Logan usually did that for me, and it wasn't like I couldn't open my own door. I felt even worse when the door swung open, and I got my first clear, up close view of his chest. It looked like the first time I'd seen a bullet in his back, except worse and everywhere. He didn't complain or make any noise at all though, just led me inside our room.

He pulled me to him the second I stepped inside and kicked the door shut. I looked up at him in surprise as he patted me down I'd seen cops do on TV. It reminded me a little of the last time we'd really seen each other, and he'd inspected me for the first time.

_Jest checkin' ya out to be sure yer okay, kit._

It went much faster this time, like he was only making sure I didn't have any cuts or broken bones. I stayed still and only moved when he nudged my arms out so he could check my ribs. He gave my head a brief nuzzle and sat on the bed when he was done. I grabbed my backpack and fished the pliers out.

"Make it quick, we're leaving in twenty, kit." He said, taking a healthy swig of whiskey.

I glared at him. "That's not even enough time to get all the lead out!"

"Then get started."

Crap, I should have known Wolvie would be just as stubborn as Logan. I huffed as angrily as I could to show my displeasure, but he just raised an eyebrow and looked amused. I stomped over to him and tried to identify which wound looked the biggest. Two of the worst were centered just beneath his collar bones, and I could see the glint of metal through his flesh. I didn't know whether that was from the bullet fragments or his bones, but I was thankful the shots hadn't hit lower. A couple inches down and his metal sternum wouldn't have been there to stop them, and all that lead would be buried somewhere inside his internal organs. I decided to get those two pieces first, then work my out to the smaller bits scattered around next and just hope I could get most of them.

Wolverine lowered his arm and straightened his shoulders so I could get a better look. I had to bend down since he was sitting, and the angle was awkward. His eyes widened when I half kneeled in between his legs, but he seemed really uncomfortable with that, and kneeling like that put me more on eye level with his belt buckle than his chest. I stood back up and stared at him as I tried to figure out how we were going to do this. It had been so much easier fixing up his back when I could just sit behind him. We were at least on the same level then. My Wolvie's words flashed through my mind again. I needed to get him on the same level as me.

"Lay down." I told him, putting a knee on the bed and pushing his shoulder.

He stared at me, something more than just amusement in his eyes. Stupid alpha male crap. He probably didn't like being bossed around.

"Please?"

He leaned back, and I put my other knee up on the bed, straddling his thighs. But now his chest was way too far away. I tossed the pliers next to his side and crawled up, bracing a hand against the side of his stomach for balance.

"Ah'm gonna have to sit on yah for a bit. That alrah-ght?" I asked.

He nodded slowly. I straightened up and carefully sat on his stomach. I worried that I might be heavy or uncomfortable, but his breathing stayed perfectly even and he didn't complain, so I peeled my gloves off and tossed them next to the pliers. I'd probably need to use my hands again to push open the wounds enough to make sure I was grabbing bullets with the pliers instead of bone. I swallowed hard and braced myself to start shoving my fingers into holes in my best friend's chest.

I held up my hands. "Yah mind, Wolvie?"

He frowned up at me. "What?"

"Ah gotta take mah gloves off for this, an' mah skin—"

"S'beautiful." He interrupted with a mutter.

"What?" I echoed.

He cleared his throat, but his voice still came out husky with pain. "Nothin' wrong with yer skin, kit. S'beautiful, and I trust ya."

I couldn't stop the blush or smile that bloomed on my face. But I felt bad just sitting on top of him and grinning like an idiot while he had bullet holes in his chest, so I grabbed the pliers and got to work. The first large piece came out relatively easily, as easy as pulling out a bullet can be. But the second one refused to cooperate. It seemed like the heat and close range of the shot had fused the metal of the bullet to the metal of his sternum, and I had to brace one hand on his shoulder and use the pliers to yank it out with the other.

Wolverine threw his head back and hissed out a snarl between his teeth, but kept his torso still for me. I dropped the pliers still clutching the piece of bullet onto the bed and grabbed the bottle of Jack. His breathing was sharp and erratic as sweat dripped down his face. I wrapped my hand around the nape of his neck and eased his head up enough that I could press the lip of the bottle against his mouth. He got the idea pretty quickly and drank nearly half of what was left. I set his head back down and brushed his hair off his forehead. He nuzzled into my hand and his breathing slowed again. I still had a lot of work left to do, so I leaned over and set the bottle of Jack up on the nightstand. Wolvie looked a lot better than he did a few seconds ago, and I went back at it. I tried to start working on the other shards of metal, but every time I leaned forward, his belt buckle dug into my butt and the backs of my thighs. It was horribly uncomfortable and felt like it would leave a permanent imprint soon.

"Alrah-ght, hold on a sec, Wolvie." I said, sitting back up.

Wolverine raised his head just enough to watch me scoot back and sit on his thighs again. He stared at me and cleared his throat again when I grabbed his belt buckle.

"Whatcha doin' there, kit?" He growled.

I looked back up at him. "Yeh belt buckle keeps digging into meh. Yah don't mind if I take yeh belt off, do yah?"

He nodded rapidly. "Yes."

I paused and lifted my hand off the buckle. "Oh. Yah do mind?"

"No...yes!"

I cocked my head to the side and gave him a confused stare.

"I...yes, ya can...if it's hurtin' ya..." He muttered, trailing off with a blush and shifting his hips.

I smiled gently at him and fiddled with his buckle again. I was just trying to be practical, but it made me feel a lot better that he was kind of embarrassed about this too. Especially because my hands fumbled and I couldn't figure out how to unbuckle the stupid thing. Something clicked, and I gave the belt a harsh tug. Wolverine groaned, and I immediately stopped and looked up at him. He was sweating again and his hands had fisted against the sheets.

"Did Ah hurt yah?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No, I...my chest. Lotta pain, kit."

My poor Wolvie did looked so pained and brave, laying there without any complaints. I went a bit slower, trying to pull the belt off gently so I didn't jar him again. I laid his belt down next to my gloves and scooted back up. With his giant belt buckle out of the way now, I could sit on the top of his jeans so I wouldn't be putting pressure on his stomach. He let out a small noise of pain, and I looked at him worriedly.

"Yah alrah-ght?"

He let out a slow breath and nodded.

"Is yeh chest...?" I stopped and frowned. I'd taken all of the bigger pieces of lead out, so he should be feeling a bit better, but he looked even worse instead.

"It's my uh...healing. It does...stuff...to the lead. Tries to um, absorb it or something...it's real bad, kit." He gasped out through the pain.

_We've been through worse before, kit. He's jest actin' it up fer ya._

_You hush up! Look at how much pain he's in!_

I looked back at the Wolverine in front of me, his face tortured and filled with pain. My poor man-puppy. I patted his side soothingly and he sighed.

"It's alrah-ght, Wolvie. Ah'll try to hurry." I said.

"Uh...yeah."

He gave me a cautious nod to start again, and I tried to work quickly but efficiently. I got all of the major fragments out and started working on the smaller pieces scattered around his sides. He had said we would leave in twenty minutes, but my glances at the clock on the nightstand showed that I'd already used up seventeen. My hands were soaked with his blood, and his entire chest was smeared with it. His wounds had already closed over the few remaining pieces of lead, so I pulled out my pocket knife. Wolverine's eyes flickered over the blade in my hand, but he kept his breathing steady and his chest still as I sliced open where I'd last seen a piece of bullet. I tried to be as accurate as possible, but sometimes I was slightly off and had to make a second cut. Eventually though, I could run my bloody hands over his chest without feeling shards of metal trapped beneath the skin. There might be more that I had missed, and they might cause him problems, but it was the most I could do.

"Alrah-ght, Ah think Ah'm done." I announced, swiping my hands over his chest one last time to check.

Wolverine grunted and sat up, forcing me to sit up in his lap too. He flipped us over with my back laying on the bed. His hands pressed down on my shoulders, then smoothed down my arms. His hands circled around forearms until his fingertips touched when he came down to my wrists. He ran them back up my arms, over my shoulders, up my neck, and finally cupped my chin with both hands. I let him turn my face from side to side as he stared down at me.

"She hurt you."

I shrugged and tried to look tough. "Nothing Ah can't handle."

"I'll rip her lungs out." Wolverine growled, unconvinced.

"No!"

"No?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

"She got what was coming to her, and we're done now." I said.

His eyes narrowed. "She tried to shoot you."

"It wasn't exactly uncalled for." I bit my lip. "Ah broke a barstool over her head."

He blinked in surprise. I guess he didn't see that part. My admission didn't seem to sway him any though.

"She hurt you." He repeated.

"An' Ah hurt her back. So let's jus' call it even an' get outta here." I widened my eyes and stuck my lip out slightly. "Please, Wolvie?"

He snarled out a huff and went back to his more thorough inspection. His hands swept down my neck and collar bones, then over my chest. I tried not to feel as awkward about it as I had the last time and reminded myself he was just checking to see how bad I had been hurt. His hands lingered on my sides, especially the left one where May I had kicked me. He didn't press so firmly there, although he did probe my ribs a bit more carefully than he had before. The whole area ached and felt really sore, but I imagined if my ribs really were cracked or broken, I would be in a lot more pain than this. He moved on and dragged his hands down my stomach, over my hips, and to my legs. He paused again at my knees, which had gotten pretty scraped up where I fell. My calves were last, and they felt fine. He climbed off of me and stood, helping me up from the bed.

"Stayed here too long." He muttered. "Hurry and get your shit."

I threw the pliers, pocketknife, and my gloves into my backpack. I'd wash my hands later. Wolverine grabbed Logan's clothes and stuffed them into his duffel bag while I got my toothbrush and stuff out of the bathroom. We'd just gotten to this town, so I hadn't brought much into the hotel yet. My laptop was still in my backpack, my gameboy and sketchbooks in the truck. I went over a mental list of everything I brought inside and couldn't think of anything else. Wolverine held the duffel and the pillow I'd gotten them, and he swept his eyes over the room one last time. He nodded to himself, then looked at me and jerked his head toward the door.

I followed him out the room and hopped in the truck. We both threw our bags in the back, and he pulled out of the parking lot. I grabbed some napkins out of the glove box to wipe as much of his blood off my hands as I could and tugged my gloves back on to cover up the remaining streaks. I thought everything was okay until Wolverine reached over and pulled me into his lap.

"Um...Wolvie?"

He shifted me around so that my back could rest against the side of his door and my legs could stretch out on top of the seat. His arm wrapped around my waist and held me close, and my arm was trapped awkwardly between my side and his chest. I sat on his thigh, and he used his other knee to keep the wheel steady when he changed gears. Other than that, one of his hands rested on the wheel and the other curled around my stomach.

"Ah'm sure this isn't legal." I said in a small voice. "Yah don't even have yeh seatbelt on."

"Don't worry, kit. My arm's stronger than the seatbelt. I'll keep you safe if someone hits us." He replied.

"Not if yeh flying out the window yah won't."

I reached up and grabbed his seatbelt. He didn't seem pleased about that at all, but he allowed me to shift around until I could pull the belt over him and buckle it. His arm pulled me back into his lap and wrapped back around me immediately afterward. This was still horribly illegal and dangerous, but he probably would be able to hold onto me in a crash. And Logan was a really good driver, so I hoped that was a shared skill. Like riding a bike.

"Are yah okay?" I asked.

I could feel the tension in his arms, and he held me tight enough that it bordered on uncomfortable. He had turned me so that my bruised left side was on the inside, and it was my right side that his hand gripped.

"I'm fine."

"Bullshit."

He looked down at me with raised eyebrows.

"Yah can tell me yeh mad or scared or happy, but don't tell meh yeh fine. No one is ever 'fine.'" I said.

He gave a curt nod and looked back at the road. "Ya could've...died...back there. I just want you close for a while. That alright?"

His tone and expression never changed, but his hand flexed on the steering wheel and his jaw clenched when he was done. I nodded and twisted slightly so I could hug him, being especially careful not to put too much pressure on his chest. I wrapped my arms around his neck and ran my hand over the arm stretched out over the steering wheel. He slowly relaxed the longer I petted him and the further we got from the town.

"Ya wanna tell me why ya didn't call fer help." He finally growled, breaking the silence.

It was more of a statement than a question, and I winced against his chest. "Sorry. Ah jus' didn't really have a chance to. Ah didn't even see her coming. One second Ah was sitting on my chair, an' the next, Ah was on the ground, an' she was trying to kick meh. Ah yanked her leg out from under her and when we were getting up, Ah told her to back off. Ah kinda jus' thought...if she had a few seconds to think about how stupid it all was..."

My voice trailed off, and I felt a low growl rumble through Wolverine's chest.

"Humans are worthless and pathetic." He paused and then rubbed my side. "Except you. You're mine."

"Ah looked for yah rah-ght after Ah hit her with the barstool, but by the time Ah saw yah, she already had the gun an'—"

Wolverine snarled again, and I rubbed my face against his neck soothingly. I waited until he relaxed again to continue.

"Yah saved meh." I whispered.

"Huh?"

"In mah head. Ah didn't know what the sound was, but yah did, an' yah told meh to get down." I said.

"So you just dropped like that because I...?"

He stared out at the road with furrowed brows, and I shrugged in his arms. "Well, yah told meh to."

His arm came up and pressed my head back against his neck, and he rubbed his chin against the top of his head, then his cheek. I could feel the vibrations running through his chest as he purred.

"Good girl, kitling."

I blushed and turned my head deeper into the crook of his neck. I had expected him to be mad at me for getting into a fight and go on some overprotective rant, so getting a compliment instead felt nice. It felt great actually, knowing I had done well and he was proud of me. He let me bask in the feeling for another few minutes before he spoke up again.

"I gotta ask though, kit. Why didn't you use your knife? That situation is why Logan told you to carry it on you." He scolded gently.

"Honestly...Ah jus' didn't think about it. Yah wanted me to use it Ah guess or...attack her...somehow...once I'd pulled her down. But Ah didn't know how, an' Ah didn't really want to hurt her. Ah only hit her with the stool because Ah wanted her away from meh, not because Ah was trying to hurt her." I tried to explain.

He stayed silent for a while and thought over what I said. Pressing him wouldn't help any, so I stayed quiet and curled up in his lap.

"Next time you're in trouble, any kind at all, you yell for us." He finally said.

I nodded rapidly against his chest.

"Not when you think you have a chance. If someone attacks you, just start screaming."

"Ah will. Promise. But..." I took a breath for courage. "...can Ah ask yah something?"

"Sure, kit."

"Will yah teach meh how to fight?"

He tensed up again and stayed silent for a long time. When he spoke again, his voice was strained.

"Can't."

I looked up at him and placed my hand on his cheek. "Yah jus' leave Logan to meh."

"He—"

"—needs to pull his head out of his ass." I interrupted.

He glanced back down at me, and his eyes weren't quite so golden now. I stared back up at him stubbornly until the gold came back.

"Yah would never hurt me." He started to say something, but I just talked over him. "Are yah gonna lose control and hit me for real? Is all hundred pounds really gonna scare yah that bad?"

He didn't answer.

"Ah'm not asking yah to spar with meh or something." I continued more gently. "Ah jus' want yah to show meh the basics, like how to punch or disarm someone. We don't actually have to fight at all."

"Logan could show you that." He said, his voice still tight.

I shook my head. "Ah'm not asking him. Ah wanna spend time with yah too."

"...alright, kitling."

I hugged him again, smiling happily against his neck. He petted my hair for a bit before nudging my head.

"I gotta go, kit."

"Mmkay." I mumbled. "Love yah."

He tensed up again. "Logan ain't here yet."

"Ah know. Ah said Ah love _you_." I told him, stressing the last word and even trying to say it properly.

He slowed down and pulled over at the side of the road, then unbuckled his seatbelt. For a moment, I thought he might do something really crazy, like get out of the truck and run the way Logan had, but he pushed me down onto the seat instead. I let him and squirmed around until I was laying almost fully stretched out on the seat, with my head on my side of the truck and my feet propped up against the driver's door. Wolverine lay on his side at the edge, with me in between him and the back of the seat. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, with his body covering mine. I didn't make any move to push him away, but I did wonder what the hell was going on until a sudden thought occurred to me.

_Has anyone ever said that to yah?_

My Wolvie stayed suspiciously quiet in my head, and the real Wolverine breathed heavily against my neck. I ran the hand that wasn't squished against the seat up and down his back until his breathing slowed and calmed.

"Love ya too, Marie." He mumbled into my neck.

He nuzzled my head again, went still for a second, then suddenly sat up. His eyes were normal again, brown with hints of hazel, and they swept over me almost frantically.

"Are you okay?" Logan demanded.

I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he was referring to my fight with May, and not worrying about Wolverine again.

"Ah'm a little sore, an' mah side hurts, but nothing serious." I replied honestly.

He immediately checked both my sides, then focused on my left one. I let him probe over my ribs the same way Wolverine had done, and he quickly looked over the rest of my body as well.

"Do yah remember that Ah was in a fight? The bar fly who came up to us earlier, she did this." I told him, not wanting him to blame Wolvie for any of this.

His eyes searched mine. "Just her?"

I scowled as hard as I could. "Yes, Logan. All Wolverine did was take me back to the motel and then get us out of town."

"What happened to that calendar bitch?" He asked. "I'll—"

"_Ah_ already took care of it." I said.

He looked at me suspiciously.

"Ah tackled her, hit her in the stomach with the gun, and smashed her face against the counter three or four times. Ah don't really remember, but she wasn't moving when Ah was done." I said, trying to keep my voice steady, like I beat ass every day.

"The fuck you do that for?!" Logan growled.

"She shot yah!" I protested. "But it's okay. Ah got all the lead out, we're out of town, an' we're both alrah-ght, so let's jus' move on, okay?"

Logan didn't answer, but he did lower himself back down and rub his lips against the mark Wolverine had left. His lips were warm and soft, but his stubble felt rough. I fought to hold in a shiver. He held me for a few minutes longer, then suddenly sat back up.

"Did you ask him to teach you to fight?" He asked with a growl.

"Yes, Ah—"

"No."

He sat back on his side of the truck, and I followed, sitting up as well.

"Ah'm not asking for him to fight with me, Ah'm asking him to teach me to defend mahself." I said, trying to stay calm.

"I can do that."

"Ah want him." Logan flinched slightly, so I stopped and tried a new tactic. "Ah know yah aren't gonna let meh go with yah to fights anymo—"

"Damn straight." He cut in.

I waited for a second, but he didn't continue, so I did. "...Ah jus' wanna spend time with him too."

Logan scowled out the window at the road, but didn't make any move to start driving again.

"...fine."

I squealed and launched myself into Logan's lap to hug him. He caught me with a grunt, and I belatedly remembered his chest. I let go, but he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me back, so I hugged him again.

"But listen." I said, pushing back away from him a little. "There's something Ah should tell yah."

He swallowed and tightened his grip on me like I was about to tell him I had terminal cancer. He probably thought it had something to do with Wolvie. But even though I knew what I wanted to tell him, I suddenly couldn't think of how to start.

"Ah get lonely sometimes." I started out.

"Your school stuff and gameplay not keeping you busy?" Logan asked with a concerned frown.

I ignored the urge to correct him about the gameboy and shook my head. "Not bored. Lonely. Ah wanted to go with yah to the fights so badly 'cause Ah jus'...wanted to do something with yah."

"We were gonna see a movie." He offered.

"Ah want to do something with yah outside of a hotel or this truck." I clarified.

He only gave me a clueless stare.

"Like when yah took meh to see Canada's largest maple leaf an' let meh take pictures. Yah didn't even have to do anything, Ah jus' liked going someplace with yah. Ah jus'...wanna spend time with yah." I finished up with a mumble.

"Thought you said you wanted to spend time with him." He said, practically growling the last word.

I stared at him for a second. He looked like...was he pouting? Was Logan jealous of Wolvie? Wouldn't that technically make him jealous of himself? I resisted the urge to smile and pat him on the head. Sometimes he was just so cute.

"Ah want to spend time with both of yah." I reassured him.

He nodded and absently glanced down to where his hand was gently rubbing my bruised hip. I waited for him to get his thoughts together and prayed he understood, because I honestly didn't know of any way to spell it out clearer for him.

"The July thing is a big American holiday, right?" He asked, looking back at me.

It took me a second to get what he meant. "Uhm...you mean the fourth of July?"

"Yeah, the one with the fireworks?"

"Uh huh." He'd better be going somewhere good with this.

"If you want to do something, I've been thinking about taking you back to the states, somewhere South and—"

He kept talking, but my mind blanked out. It was a good thing I still had my gloves on, because my skin probably turned on for at least a split second. Logan must have noticed my look of absolute panic, because he abruptly stopped.

"Kid, you okay?" He asked, cupping my cheek through a layer of my hair.

_Don't think like that, kit! Ya know it ain't true. _My Wolvie joined in the reassurances.

"Yeah, Ah..." I took several deep breaths and tried to calm down.

_Ah know, Ah jus'...for a second..._

His thumb brushed quickly against my cheek, too fast for my skin to hurt him. He kept at that until I calmed down enough to turn my head and nuzzle against his hand.

"What's wrong?" He murmured.

I stared down at my hands where they rested awkwardly in between our laps.

"Marie."

I shivered. No fair, using The Voice.

"Ah...it's stupid."

He didn't even bother to use The Voice this time, just growled.

I sighed. "For a second...Ah thought...yahweregonnatakemeback."

"Slower, kid."

"Yah were gonna...take me back." I repeated.

"And what? Leave you there?" He asked in a hard voice.

I nodded. He pulled me into him the same way Wolvie had, holding me tight. I snuggled into his embrace and breathed in his scent gratefully.

_We won't leave ya, kit. Not ever._

"That won't ever happen." He said into my hair.

I nodded again.

"But if you still want to go on the trip...?"

"Yeah." I breathed against his neck.

"Alright then. I know a guy in Arkansas who owes me. I was thinking we could stay for a week or two in a cabin he owns by this lake, maybe go hiking, set off some fireworks...any of that sound good?" He asked.

I sat up excitedly. "Really?! Logan, that sounds great!"

He grinned. "It'll take us a few days to get there, but we should make it a day or two before the fourth if we start now."

"Thank yah!" I hugged him again, smiling so wide I couldn't say any more.

A cabin sounded way cooler than a motel, and it would be warm enough to go swimming, and I'd never gotten to set off fireworks before, and it'd be just the two of us, and...this was going to be great.

Logan tipped my head back and his voice got more serious. "He can show you some of the basics there."

"Tha—"

"But if _anything_ happens..." Logan continued, cutting me off. "It's over. Understand?"

"Yes, understood." I agreed.

He relaxed and smiled a bit. "Then let's get going, kid."

I grinned back and moved over to my side of the truck as Logan pulled back onto the road. This was going to be such a good summer!

* * *

**A/N: I know the last chapter was short, but look at how long this one is! Wolverine won out in votes in both TBH and BBW, but this fic was a bit closer to a tie and had a lot more votes for Logan. I wonder if it has anything to do with the rating difference. People who read this story (T) like Logan more, and people who read BBW (M) like the edgier Wolverine.**

**So what sort of outdoorsy shenanigans should they get up to? And when do you think Marie should tell Logan about how she healed from the glass?**

**Edit: In the last chapter, Marie said, "The difference between yah and meh? He keeps his boots on when he's with meh." It should have been, "He takes his boots OFF" I completely messed that up, and helikesthemikey pointed that out to me. I went back and fixed it, but that was totally my bad. Sorry if anyone else was horribly confused by that!**

**Coming up next: Logan and Marie head down to Arkansas for some Fourth of July camping. Logan realizes he's not in Kansas anymore when the locals all assume Marie is his girlfriend (not his daughter), the Wolverine wants out to do a little "hunting," and he catches Marie skinny dipping!**

**LE GASP!**


	23. AN by Rogue

Hi, everyone! This is Rogue here. I'm writing the author's note for Morgan since she's sleeping right now. Don't be too mad at her, she just learned how to ride a bike over the week, and she overdid it a little. And by a little, I mean she tried to bike three miles on her second day, and now her crotch is sorer than a two dollar whore's. When she came back yesterday, she just put an icepack between her legs and passed out. She's been working really hard on college too. She's taking nineteen hours this semester, and she still made time to help me and Logan write about everything that's happened. The Professor thinks it will be good for both of us to work on being open about our feelings, but I really just want an account of everything that's happened just in case Logan loses his memories again.

But anyway, what I'm supposed to tell you is that the next chapter won't be up until Monday, and The Bad Habit (that's my story) and The Big Bad Wolf (Logan's version) will only update once a week on Mondays from now on. I'm also supposed to tell you how sorry she is and ask you not to be mad, but if you have a complaint, go ahead and fill one out. I'll make a neat little paper airplane out of it. But before you get your panties in a twist, I can at least promise you that the next chapter is going to be even longer than the last one. I've seen it, and it's a solid fourteen pages. That's the one about the first summer Logan and I had together, when he took me down to the states for the Fourth of July. We set off two boxes of fireworks, and Logan ate nearly half a pecan pie, and I...well, that was also the time Logan caught me skinny dipping. Totally not my fault. Swimming naked at night is the only way to swim, and how was I supposed to know he'd get all freaky about me being in the water? He was real mad about that, but I think we can laugh about it now. Mostly he just laughs about my clothes getting stolen by raccoons.

I've got to wrap this up though. My man-puppy gets cranky if I leave him alone too long. So just a reminder: new chapters now update once a week, on Monday's only. If you have any complaints about it, Logan said he'll be happy to help you shove it up your ass at the HR department. Honestly, I don't think he likes you guys very much. Mostly he just doesn't like teenagers. Or people. But mostly teenagers. Do NOT get him started on his rant about "kids these days" and "the Facetube." Just hang tight in there, bear with us, and we'll get new chapters out to you next Monday.

Oh, and be sure to wish Morgan well while her crotch recovers! I don't think she can even pee straight anymore...


	24. Man-Puppies Don't Like Fireworks

**JULY**

I woke up in degrees of awareness. The throb of the engine that made my nose itch. The ache in my knees from having my legs curled up too long. The smoothness of leather against the back of my neck and the rough feel of denim beneath my cheek. I blinked my eyes open and the gear shift settled into focus in front of me. There was a heavy warmth on my shoulder, and I glanced down to see a large hand. I'd fallen asleep against Logan again, my head not quite on his lap this time, just resting against the side of his thigh with his jacket balled up beneath my head for extra support.

"Where're we?" I mumbled.

"Just crossed the border, kid."

I yawned and wondered briefly how he'd gotten me across without any papers. The last time I'd crossed the Canadian border, I'd hitched a ride with a trucker and hidden in the backseat beneath a pile of blankets. The Canadian police or mounties or whatever they were called had known the trucker and waved him by with only a few brief questions. But I would have woken up if we had stopped at all, so Logan must have found a way across that wasn't exactly legal. It didn't really surprise or bother me that he knew those sorts of things. At least I knew he wouldn't ask for any sort of special payment like the trucker had.

"Hey, Logan?"

He glanced down. "Yeah, kid?"

"Ah know Ah've put up a lot of fuss about Wolvie, but it's just 'cause Ah'm worried yah won't ever let meh see him. An' that would be wrong, 'cau—ah—ahhh..." I broke off with a yawn. "...he's a part of yah too. An' Ah want all of yah."

Logan flexed his grip on my shoulder.

"Yeh still mah best friend, an' Ah love yah both the same." I told him.

He didn't reply, and I yawned again in the silence. I stretched my legs out as much as I could before curling them up again on the seat. Logan moved his hand to stroke my hair, and I sighed at how relaxing it felt.

"Now that we're across, we'll stop at a motel soon." He said.

I tried to nod but ended up yawning again.

"Go back to sleep. I'll carry you in when we get there."

I hummed out an affirmative and closed my eyes, letting the sound of the engine and his hand running through my hair lull me back to sleep.

xxx

"Wake up, kid."

I lifted my head and blinked. My neck hurt. I must have fallen asleep leaning against the door instead of Logan's lap. His thigh was so much more comfortable, but he probably didn't like me laying on him on the time.

I looked out the window. "We here?"

"Nah, but close." Logan said as we pulled into the parking lot of a gas station.

It only had two pumps, and a banner over the door advertised beer and groceries. It was definitely owned by locals and not a corporation, and it was probably the only place to get anything for the next ten miles.

"Gotta pick up some groceries."

He got out of the truck, and I pulled my gloves on while he walked around to my side. He opened my door for me and slung his arm around my shoulders as we walked inside. I picked up two hand baskets and passed one to Logan to hold.

"How long are we staying?" I asked.

"Nate gave us the cabin for the week."

I looked around the store and tried to gauge what sort of food I could make. "Does it have a stove?"

"Yeah." Logan grunted with a shrug.

That gave me a lot more options, and I grinned. "Then Ah can cook for yah!"

"That something you want to do? 'Cause I can make my own—"

I rolled my eyes and cut him off. "TV dinners don't count."

"I can barbeque too." Logan pouted.

I looked up at him. "Could yah do that tonight, since we'll be outside watching the fireworks?"

"Yeah kid, I can do that." He answered.

"Great!" That would actually be really helpful, and I grinned at him. "An' Ah can cook real food for yah. Yah'll love it, Ah promise!"

I had promised him I could cook when we first met, but I'd never really had the chance to show him, except at Lori's house. And that whole weekend had just been awkward. But this week would just be me and him, and I could finally do something special for him to make us a bit more even.

_No one's keeping score, kit._

_Ya-huh. He does everything for meh, an' now I have a chance to do something back. Besides, Ah kinda miss cooking...Ah definitely miss eating what Ah cook._

I grabbed a can of baked beans while I talked to Wolvie, and Logan leaned over my shoulder to see what I had.

"Whatcha gonna make?" He asked.

"Pigs in a blanket, macaroni, and baked beans for tomorrow night. Some sandwich stuff for lunch." I tossed two cans of beans in my basket. "That sound good to yah?"

"Fuck yeah."

I smiled when I heard his stomach rumble. "Could yah pick up the barbeque stuff while Ah get the stuff for that?"

He nodded and squeezed my shoulders before he walked off. I found the refrigerated section and picked up all of the cold stuff I needed, including some ready made crust for a pie. I also picked up some milk and sugar, and a small bag of pre-chopped pecans. I wandered around gathering all the stuff I'd need for sandwiches and dinner, and finally all that I needed were some tomatoes. The tomatoes they had looked fresh, and I picked out three of the nicest looking ones.

Finished with my shopping, I looked around for Logan and saw him standing just two aisles over. His eyes were closed and his fists were clenched. I hurried over to him and gently touched his chest. He snapped out of it when I touched him, and he took my hand in his, completely covering it.

"Got everything you need?" He asked.

Something had obviously bothered him, but his grip on my hand was light and his other hand had unclenched. I wanted to help him and be there for him if something was wrong, but sometimes I just had to let things go. Heck, if he tried to talk to me about every time I had a problem with the voices in my head, we'd never get anything done. So I decided to just answer his question and trust him to tell me if he really had a problem. He'd gotten better about telling me things anyway.

"Ah jus' need hotdogs for the—"

He held up his basket in the middle of my sentence, and I broke off to look inside. Not only had he gotten hot dogs, but he'd picked up hamburger meat and buns too. Now if we got tired of sandwiches, we could have hamburgers. Logan would grill tonight, I could make pancakes in the morning, sandwiches at lunch, and pigs in a blanket for supper. Pancakes then sandwiches again for the next day, and either leftovers or hamburgers for supper. What we had now should last us for another two or three days, and we could always come back here to pick up more food for the rest of the week.

"Thanks. That's it then, Ah think." I decided.

"Alright."

Logan let go of my hand and put his arm around my waist instead when we walked to the front of the store. I liked the easy way he touched me and held me close in new places. We'd traveled across two countries now and been in some shady places, but I never felt scared because I knew he was always nearby.

"How close is the cabin to the lake?" I asked as we waited in line.

"About a quarter mile. There's a trail that we can hike down if you wanna see it." He said.

"Does the cabin have electricity?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, kid. Running water too."

I decided to be the mature one and ignore his sass. "What about a TV?"

"No, but there's a pool table. Ping pong too."

Well, that would have to do. And I didn't want to waste too much time sitting inside anyway. Maybe Logan would teach me how to play pool. I was good at ping pong, and I wondered if he knew how to play that. What else did I want to know about the cabin?

"Oh! Does it have a fireplace?" I asked.

"Yep."

I'd always wanted to fall asleep in front of a fireplace, but it would probably be too warm for it. Maybe we could light it once just for a little while. The lady in front of us finished up and moved, cutting off my thoughts as we stepped up to the front of the counter. The cashier must have heard part of our conversation because he asked us if we were staying down by the lake. Logan just gave his standard grunt and helped me put all the groceries on the counter. The cashier stared at my gloved hands, which probably did look really weird in the ninety degree heat. That was another reason I tried to hitch hike up to Alaska. The farther north I went, the more normal my gloves and long sleeves seemed.

Logan asked him about a clothing store, and he stopped staring at me. He did try to make polite conversation though, and my southern manners kicked in, forcing me to answer. I made a joke about the heat because that's all you talked about this far south. Someone else came in the store, and I took advantage of the cashier's distraction to look at the candy bars on display so I wouldn't have to talk to him anymore. I grabbed a Snickers, and he checked it out and handed it right back to me. I offered him another polite smile and opened the wrapper.

It was melted of course, because everything melts in this kind of heat and screw your air conditioning. Melted chocolate was still chocolate though, so I just licked it off my fingers. Logan paid for the groceries, grabbed the bags, and guided me out the door. I would have offered to help carry a bag or two, but my hands were kind of sticky now.

"Thank yah, sir. Have fun on yeh honeymoon!" The cashier shouted.

Logan jerked mid-step, and I had to pull him the rest of the way out of the store and into the parking lot.

"What the fuck?!" He grumbled.

"That's probably what a lot of those cabins are used for." I said.

It made sense. A cabin by the lake really did sound like it could easily be romantic. I wondered if Logan had ever taken anyone else to this cabin. He got this all arranged really easily and all in the matter of days. I tried not to think about how many times he'd done this before and with how many women.

"You're fourteen!" Logan protested.

"Almost fifteen." I shrugged. "And sixteen is the age of consent here. It's not...uncommon. He probably thought Ah was pregnant or something."

"Pregnant?!"

"It happens. My friend Heather ran away with the music teacher in eighth grade." I said, taking another bite of my Snickers.

"Fucking Americans." He muttered, opening my door.

I got in and stuck my tongue out at him. I probably had chocolate smeared all over my mouth and teeth, and he just slammed my door shut without replying. Logan got in his side, and I ate the rest of my Snickers on the way over to the sporting goods store the cashier had recommended.

They did have a small clothing section, one that sold hideously ugly outdoor clothes. Logan said they were "practical" which is probably a synonym for "hideous." I got to choose between camo or puke green pastel. I tried to argue for black, which was at least neutral, but Logan vetoed that because it would attract too much heat. So I got cargo shorts in puke green and shit brown, with some dark olive shirts. The greens didn't even match. There had better not be anyone else in our part of the woods, because I would have to kill myself out of shame if anyone but Logan ever saw me in those clothes.

We stopped at a fireworks stand next, advertised as "Ill Eagle" fireworks. I had to give them props for the name. They probably had the really good stuff.

"What kind of fireworks can we get?" I asked Logan as we walked up to the stand.

"Whatever you want, kid."

There was a middle-aged woman at the stand, smoking and fanning herself. She looked up and eyed Logan appreciatively, but gave me a kind smile and didn't start showing off her cleavage or anything.

"Welcome to Ill Eagle fireworks! What can Ah get y'all?" She asked.

Logan did his eye brow quirk thing. "Ill Eagle?"

"Yep!" She pointed up to the banner above the stand that had a poorly drawn eagle on it that was coughing.

"Yah should set up a charity fund." They both looked at me, and I continued with a straight face. "Since they're sick and all. Bald eagles are endangered, yah know."

Logan cleared his throat and looked at his feet, and the older lady gave me a sad, pitying look. I kept up the innocent look until I burst out laughing so hard I snorted.

"Seriously though. Yah could get some pictures of little baby eagles an' tell some sob story to the tourists. Get lots of donations for those poor sick eagles." I snickered again just thinking about it.

"Child, yah had me worried for a second. Yah better watch little miss big eyes, here." She told Logan.

"Who?" I looked between them with wide, innocent eyes. "Meh?"

Logan reached out and deliberately messed up my hair. I pouted at him until he said, "Just get your damn fireworks, kid."

I smiled again and looked back at the woman. "So whatcha got?"

"Oh, we've got it all." She grinned back at me. "Spinners, fountains, rockets and candles, whistlers, sparklers, and things that jus' go boom. Whatcha wanna see?"

"Everything." I replied.

And she showed me all of it. There really was some of everything, and I listened to all of her descriptions with growing excitement. My parents had never let me anywhere near fireworks because they were "too dangerous" which was just code for "too much fun." The most we ever did for the Fourth of July was attend a lame barbeque at Cody's house, and his dad always burned the hotdogs.

I wanted just about everything she showed me, although I tried to play it cool at first. I kept looking over at Logan to see if he objected to anything I picked out, but he just leaned against the side of the stand and casually looked out over the land. I had to admit, it was really beautiful around here. There were trees and mountains everywhere, but it was hard to appreciate nature's beauty when tempted with lots of big, expensive, illegal fireworks. The one time the nice lady tried to talk to him about prices, he only grunted at her in obvious dismissal. I knew Logan never objected to the price of anything I wanted, but I wanted everything here, and it was getting expensive. I finally called it quits when I had basically one of each.

"Okay then, we'll get what yah wanted packed up nice and safe for yah. Be sure to set these off at a safe distance, yah hear?" She warned Logan.

He nodded, and she turned around and gave the best whistle I'd ever heard.

"Wake yeh asses up! Yah got shit to carry!" She screamed.

Two guys that looked about twenty came ambling out from behind the stand. They'd probably been sitting in the shade, drinking beer and flipping through dirty magazines. That's all anyone did down here anyway. Not to be judgmental, but when the only two stores in ten miles were a combo gas station and grocery store and a sporting good shop, there really wasn't anything else to do. The taller one gave me a look and slapped his brother's arm to get him to look over too. I leaned a little closer to Logan, and he immediately put his arm back around me. I looked down and noticed a small pad of paper and a pen laying on the counter. I pulled it over to me and started doodling so I wouldn't have to look at them.

"Put yah dicks back in yeh pants an' get yeh asses in gear! That ain't no way to look at a lady!" The woman yelled at them.

From the way they grumbled, I assumed she was their mother. I didn't look up to see what they were doing, but she confirmed it when she turned back to Logan and apologized for them.

"Don't mind mah sons. Their daddy was some no good trucker who was out the door before his dick dried, an' the only one left to raise them was meh." She said.

I had the basic outline of two baby birds sketched out, and I started adding detail to their heads, sloping them down to end in beaks.

"And she's meaner than a bulldog an' older than Gawd." One of them grumbled.

"Boy, yah got something to say to meh, yah better pull yeh damn pants up an' say it to mah face!" She snapped back.

I sketched out the eyes and worked on adding feathers.

"Ma, Ah am twent—"

His mother wasn't taking any sass though, and she cut him straight off. "Yah mah baby, an' if yah don't behave, Ah will bend yah over this stand and whup the Y chromosome straight outta yah!"

I glanced up to see him scowling past a blush, but he went back to work with a yes ma'am. I fought down a giggle. I'd always wished my mother had been one of those sassy southern women, but no, she was a southern _lady_ who never raised her voice or had a hair out of place. I'd gotten the ruffle of feathers right around their head and neck, and I even managed to give them fairly decent looking wings.

"You look like you're doing a fine job, ma'am." Logan said, and I could tell from his voice he was scowling.

"Thank yah." She replied.

I didn't know how to do their bottoms though, and I really didn't want to mess with trying to draw skinny legs and feet, so I just scribbled in a nest around them that blocked off their bottom half.

"Here."

I shoved the sketch at the woman, barely resisting the urge to ball it up and throw it away. It was crap, and they looked like fat sacks of flour, not birds.

"Aww, well ain't yah just the sweetest thing!" She cooed.

Oh well. Other people liked my art, even if I was my own worst critic. She would probably never even see all the mistakes that I did. I smiled tightly and leaned against the counter. I'd gotten used to how cool it was up north, and now I felt like I was dying, standing out in here in my long sleeves and gloves. Logan noticed my discomfort and knew what was wrong, because that's just what he did.

"Go get the air conditioning started in the truck for me." He said, offering me his keys.

I gave him a grateful nod and walked back to the truck. I turned the a/c on full blast the instant I started it and then just relaxed in front of the vents until I heard Logan load up the fireworks in the back. I slid over to my side so he could get in, and we pulled away from the stand.

"So, cabin now?" I asked.

He shot me a grin. "Yeah, kid. Cabin now."

xxx

We had to drive along a thin trail on the side of a really steep hill in order to get to the cabin. It was in the middle of the woods, and the lake was at the bottom, but it was hard to see past all the trees. The whole place really was beautiful, and the cabin looked like something straight out of a storybook. He parked next to it, and I carried the groceries while he got the fireworks. I hadn't realized I'd picked out two whole boxes worth, but he hadn't complained. He set them down on the front porch, entered a code into a keypad on the door, and held it open for me to walk inside.

I had to set the groceries down as I stepped in with a gasp. I took a few steps forward, looking around at everything. The walls were lined with tall, narrow windows on all sides. All I could see out of them right now was the darkness of the forest, but I knew the view would be beautiful in the morning. Everything seemed to be made of wood, the walls, the floor, the table and chairs. And there was a giant fireplace in between two windows to my right. Directly in front of me was the kitchen, and I could see stairs leading down to a bottom floor on the left. It all looked a little dusty, but I was still reminded of a storybook fairytale.

"You like it?" Logan asked, suddenly behind me.

I tried to think of words to describe it or even just choke out a thank you, but I had apparently forgotten how to speak English. I settled for turning around and hugging him. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me back, and I sighed happily.

"I'll take that as a yes?"

I nodded against his chest. "It's beautiful!"

He let me stay like that for a few more moments, then squeezed me and let go. He picked up some of the groceries and helped me carry them into the kitchen area. I loaded the cold stuff into the refrigerator on autopilot, still staring at everything. My mouth might have even been gaping a little.

Logan leaned against the countertop when we were done. "I'm gonna go start up the grill. Wanna run back to the truck and bring in our stuff?"

I nodded. "Yeah, sure."

I ran back out to the truck and grabbed his duffel bag, pillow, and my backpack. Logan was already out back by the time I got in, and I realized I didn't know where the bedroom was. I decided to try the door next to the kitchen, and I turned out to be right. It led into the master bedroom, and I dropped our bags by the bed. It hadn't been made, so I opened another door and found the bathroom. The next door I tried opened up into the linen closet, and I stole some sheets out of there. Logan came in and watched me as I finished making the bed. I turned around and smiled at him when I was done.

"Hey."

"Hey." He echoed. "Need any help?"

I walked over to him. "Ah got everything we'll need for the night. If there's anything else we want to bring in, we can get it tomorrow."

"I'll get the fireworks then." He said, pulling me in for a quick hug.

I followed him back out into the living room and looked around while he got the fireworks from the front porch. There was a couch and a recliner in front of the fireplace, and I put it on my mental to do list to curl up on one of them and read a book at some point. Logan came back in, and I held open the backdoor for him. We walked out on the back porch, and he set the boxes next to the grill, then flipped the porch lights on so we could see. The porch had a little bit of furniture, by way of a small table and two lawn chairs.

I looked around at the small clearing around the cabin. "Are we going to set them off here?"

"Nah. We'll set most of them off at the shoreline, down by the lake." Logan said, fiddling with the grill.

"Ah'll make some hamburger patties." I offered. "How many do yah want?"

"Just one or two. You want any steak?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

Logan started checking over the grill again, so I went back inside. I set the oven to heat up first, then started on the patties. He'd set the patties in a sinkful of warm water to start defrosting, so I pulled them out and opened the packaging. Between the heat, the long car ride over here, and being left out, they were pretty much defrosted. I cut off the pink meat from the edges and molded it into three thick patties, then set them on a plate. I washed my hands and put the rest of the meat in the fridge.

Next, I found a suitable pan and pressed the ready made crust into it. While the oven finished preheating, I creamed the butter until it was light and fluffy, gradually adding brown sugar while I went, and beat three eggs in one at a time. Finally, I added the corn syrup, salt, vanilla extract, and the pre-chopped pecans, stirred it all up, and poured it into the crust. The oven dinged just as I finished, and I placed the pie inside. Logan would probably be wondering what was taking so long, so I grabbed the plate of hamburger patties and hurried outside. I worried that he might smell the sweetness of the vanilla or brown sugar, but he just slapped the patties I'd made onto the grill with his steak and shut the lid.

"I looked through the fireworks. Those ones on top are small enough that it's probably safe to set them off here if we keep an eye on them." He said when he was done.

"Great! Do yah have a lighter?" I asked.

Logan looked at the hand I held out and snorted. "Hell no. You are not setting them off."

I pouted. "What? Why?"

"It's dangerous."

"Yah said these are the small ones." I argued, crossing my arms.

We had a glaring contest until he finally sighed and gave up. Victory!

"Fine. But you watch me do it first." He said.

I nodded at him in agreement, and he went back over to the boxes of fireworks. He grabbed one that looked like a can with a fuse on top, walked out into the clearing, and stamped out an area for it. He set it down and lit it, then jogged back over to me. He went off just as he got to me, and we both watched as it sprayed out a fountain of sparks that turned from white to red to green. I gasped at how pretty it was, and then it exploded. Red and green sparks leapt out and spun around on the ground with a bang, and I think I heard Logan yelp. With all of the noise, I couldn't be entirely sure, but I knew for certain that he jumped about a foot in the air.

Once the sparks had all died down and the noise stopped, he turned back to me, and I lost it as soon as I saw his face again. He had looked so surprised when it went off and the yelping noise and the way he jumped...I doubled over laughing.

"The look...look on yeh...on yeh _face_!" I gasped through my laughter.

"It ain't funny kid." He growled, crossing his arms.

I tried to stop giggling. "It's a little bit funny."

"It hurt my eyes!" He pouted.

I gave him a sympathetic look and brushed my fingers along his cheek. He tried to keep smiling, but I smoothed out the furrows around his brow and trailed my fingertips over his eyelids. When he relaxed, I moved even closer and wrapped my arm around his side to rub his back. He leaned against the railing for a moment, but I ran my hand over his side and up to his chest, and pushed him back to sit in the lawn chair next to the grill. I kept petting him for a few moments longer while he growled lowly.

_Lotsa bright lights and noise, kit. Don't like it._

_Aw, that why yah've been hiding, Wolvie? Yah don't like fireworks?_

He just whined and retreated to the back of my mind again. Once I started thinking about it, it made a lot of sense that neither of them would like fireworks. Dogs hated them, and Logan was really just a big man-puppy. He was only doing this to make me happy, and I gave him a grateful smile when he opened his eyes again.

"Why don't yah let me set off the rest? I offered.

He sighed again, but relented with a stern look. "Be careful."

"I will!" I promised, quickly grabbing the lighter and running back to the box of fireworks.

Logan messed with the grill while I dug out more fireworks to play with. I set off the rest of the spinners first, then another fountain-y looking thing, then one that shot up a bit and exploded. The whole area smelled like smoke soon, and I was started to lose my hearing, but it was some of the most fun I could ever remember having. The only mishap I had was when I set off one advertised as a "whistler." For once, there was truth in advertising. Or at least, partially. It didn't whistle so much as shriek loudly and spin around, and this time I did hear Logan yelp over all the noise. I turned around to see him cringing on the porch with his hands over his ears. I reached him just as it stopped, and I crawled into his lap to give him an apology hug.

"No more of that shit." He growled.

I nodded and hugged him again, mumbling out an apology into his neck. We stayed like that for a few seconds until he calmed down, and he gave me a gentle push. I hopped off him and ran back to my box of fireworks. I didn't set off any more of the whistling ones, and he didn't seem to mind the others as much. Finally, I got down to just the sparklers. Those were my favorites though, and I lit them one after another like a chain smoker. I had kicked off my shoes earlier so I could run faster, and I twirled around in my bare feet through the grass, drawing patterns in the darkness with the sparkler.

"Food's done!" Logan shouted.

I spun around and laughed, then ran back up to the porch. The sparkler fizzed out as I skidded to a stop beside him, and he brushed the hair back that had fallen in my face. I panted and giggled.

"Food's done." He said again.

"Okay." I took a couple of deep breaths to calm down. "Ah'll get the hamburger stuff."

I threw the sparkler in my pile of dead fireworks and went back inside. I immediately smelled the pecan pie, and I quickly kicked the door shut behind me so Logan wouldn't catch wind of it. I ran over to the stove next, slipping on a oven mitt and taking the pie out. I had honestly forgotten about it, but there were only a few little black spots on the edge of the crust. Any longer though, and I would have burnt it. I heaved a sigh of relief, flipped off the oven, and set it on the stovetop to cool off while we ate. Then I grabbed all of the stuff we'd need for hamburgers and even managed to hold onto the lip of a bottle of Molson's.

I took it all outside, and Logan grabbed the Molson's from me just before I dropped it. He helped me set out the rest of the stuff and started fixing himself a plate. He had two steaks and two hamburgers, leaving the last hamburger for me. I smiled at him when I noticed he put lettuce and tomatoes on his hamburger, even though I knew he preferred it plain. He needed the vegetables though. All he ever ate was red meat, and healing or not, he was going to have high blood pressure and clogged arteries and diabetes and die. I put cheese on my burger and coated it with a layer of mayo. He looked on in horror, and I laughed.

"Mayonnaise is practically a food group down South." I told him.

His sneer only turned more disgusted when I added ketchup, lettuce, and tomatoes too.

"Whatever you say, kid." He muttered.

We ate outside on the porch, with just each other and the cicadas for company. They kept up a constant drone, but other than that, we were silent. It was actually really nice and peaceful. I could see why he liked to come out here. Despite having four times as much food as me, Logan and I finished our plates at about the same time. I smiled and popped back inside. I could feel him watching me all the way in, and I quickly grabbed the pie. He sat back down as I came back out and stared at me.

I sat the pie on the table in front of him and tried not to look too nervous. "Now Ah know apple pie is supposed to be _the_ American pie, but my mama always made pecan. So Ah hope yah don't mind."

I straightened up and bit my lip when he didn't say anything. He cleared his throat.

"Fuck."

Shit, he doesn't like pie and he doesn't know how to tell me. He's allergic to nuts. He doesn't like surprises. He—

_Calm down, kit. It ain't chocolate, and it's food, so it's good._

"Yeah, pecan." He said.

I swallowed. "...so yah like pecan pie?"

"Yeah!" He nodded eagerly. "...yeah, fuck yeah!"

I grinned in relief and some amusement as he all but shook his tail for me. "Great. How big do yah want yeh slice?"

I cut a line down the middle of the pie, then place my knife a normal slice-width away from the line. He motioned for me, and I moved to twice the size. He gave me a pleading look for me, and I just gave up on normal and cut him a over a fourth of the pie. He immediately shoveled in a huge bite, and I ran back into the kitchen to pour myself a glass of milk and get him a second bottle of Molson's. I would have offered him a glass of milk too, but I had never seen him drink milk. I hadn't even seen him eat cheese or anything else with milk in it. I suspected he was lactose intolerant, but he never said anything about it, and I knew better than to try to have that super awkward conversation. He mumbled out a thank you through a full mouth and drank half the bottle. I sipped my milk as I ate my slice of pie and happily watched him scarf down the rest of his. We sat on the porch in easy silence for several minutes even after we finished eating.

"Ready to set off the rest of them?" Logan asked, breaking the silence.

"Yep!" I answered.

We both got up and took all the dirty plates and leftovers back into the kitchen. He helped me wrap everything up and put it in the fridge, grabbed his jacket, and then we headed back outside. He packed all of the fireworks that were left into one box and picked it up.

"Hold on to my arm and don't let go. It's dark and steep, so we're going to go slow. Try to step where I do and let me know if you need to stop." He ordered.

I grabbed onto his jacket sleeve, and we carefully started forward down the trail to the lake. The only light came from the stars and the moon, so it was really hard to see. I almost tripped a couple of times, but Logan always moved so that his body was in front of mine, and I could catch myself on him. It led to a lot of grabbing, and one time I almost fell to my knees, and I'm pretty sure I accidentally groped his ass. We both ignored that though and kept going, and eventually we got to the bottom. The trees cleared out, and the moonlight shone a lot brighter over the surface of the lake. I let go of Logan and ran out to the water's edge.

"Marie!"

Logan called me back, and I picked my way across the shoreline back to him. We took out the fireworks he'd packed on top and set them off first. The candles were the most fun, and we took turns shooting them out over the lake and seeing whose could go the farthest. Logan got a defective one on his first try, and it barely made it out of the rocket before sizzling out at the water's edge. I laughed for nearly five minutes straight, and he pouted until the next one he got nearly blew his hand off. That's what worried me, but he just laughed that off, although he did check mine over more carefully after that. Then it was only the big ones left, and Logan laid down his jacket. I looked at him quizzically until he grinned at me.

"I got the rest of them. Just lay here and enjoy the show, kid." He said.

I smiled back and carefully laid down. The shore was pretty rocky, but his jacket cushioned me from the worst of it. He ran off and set up four of the big ones, lighting the fuses one by one and then running back over to me. The first one went off just as he laid down next to me, and he pulled me against his chest while we watched the rest of them go off. He got back up and repeated that, lighting the fireworks and running back to me. The night was warm, but not excessively hot, and the lights from the fireworks reflected in the lake. It was beautiful and all done just for me, and I'd never felt more special in my entire life. It was probably past midnight though, and despite my nap on the way down here, I started yawning toward the end of it. I snuggled up to Logan after the last of them went off and dozed against his chest.

I had the vague feeling I was floating for a while, then I was sitting up on the bed in the cabin. I frowned and blinked at the room. I didn't want to be sitting up, I wanted to be asleep.

"Arms up, kid."

I lifted my arms automatically and felt Logan pull my shirt off. I flopped back down on the bed and lifted my hips. I was too sleepy and lazy to mess with my jeans myself, so Logan took those off for me too. I wanted him to dress me in my pajamas, but he just threw them at me and retreated into the bathroom. I sighed, frustrated that I would have to be a big girl and dress myself. He hadn't even taken my bra off. I fumbled with the straps behind me, then finally just pulled the whole thing over my head and tossed to the other side of the room. I pulled on my shirt and with Herculean effort, I even put my pants on too. That was it for me though, and I sprawled back out on the bed, too tired to even crawl under the covers.

"Up."

Hands tried to pull me up and urge me under the covers, but I didn't want to move.

"C'mon kid, work with me."

I whined and kicked and flopped and eventually I was under the covers. I refused to do anything else, but he straightened me out and wrapped an arm around my torso. I could feel his breath on my neck, and then I was asleep.

xxx

_Get out._

_But da—_

_Don't call me that! You're not my daughter!_

_Mama, please..._

_Just do as your...as he says._

_Don't tell anyone your name. You're not a part of this family, and if you get in trouble, we won't help you. Now leave._

xxx

I woke up with a gasp and felt the tears burning behind my eyes. I'd learned how to cry silently, but Logan always knew when I cried. I think he could smell it or something, so I took deep breaths and forced the tears back.

_S'okay, kitling. Ya can wake Logan up, he'll hold ya._

_Ah know._

I didn't want to wake him up though. I knew I had asked Logan to start sharing thing with me, but this was something I just didn't want to talk about. And I never asked him to talk about his nightmares either. I'd hold him until he got back to sleep or just sit up with him until morning, and I knew he would do the same for me, but I just didn't want that. The room felt too small. The whole damn cabin felt too small.

I wanted to run.

Wolvie seemed hesitant in my mind. He understood the urge, but he reminded me what happened the last time I just got up and left without telling Logan. I slowly sat up and eased out of Logan's grip, rubbing his side and whispering softly when he started to wake up. I stood at the edge of the bed until his breathing evened back out, then got a pencil and a piece of paper out of my backpack. I scrawled out a quick note and left it on the nightstand to ease both Wolvie and my conscience. I grabbed a towel from the bathroom next and eased into my tennis shoes, then I slipped out the door, out of the cabin, and into the night.

I didn't bother with a flashlight since I didn't want to risk waking Logan up searching for one, and I just didn't like using them. I had to go even more slowly than before on my way down the trail, but I only fell once, and that just skinned up my knees a little bit and got dirt on my towel. I brushed my knees and the towel off the best I could and kept going. I reached the bottom soon, and I looked around carefully, wondering if I was really going to do what I was planning to do.

I took a deep breath and pulled off my shirt, then shucked my pants and underwear in one motion. I pulled my shoes off with them, bundled up all of my clothes, and set them on a nearby rock. I hung the towel up on a tree branch, then walked down to the water. It was still warm from the hot day, and I waded in up to my waist. I breathed in deep again and dived forward.

The water was warm up top, but the farther down I swam, the cooler it got. The lake had a steep drop off just a few feet in, and I was able to dive down until the cold water swirled around my skin. I had been so hot all day long that it felt amazing. I rose back up to the surface and just floated in the warmer water. It was easy to forget about the nightmare in the water, looking up at the stars. The water felt great with nothing in between us, and I don't know how long I spent just floating there. Finally, I flipped over and dived back down to skim against the cold layer of water. I came back up and flipped my hair back, rubbing my water out of my eyes.

Logan stood at the shore.

Shit.

Shit.

And more shit.

"I left a note this time." I called out.

It was lame, and even I knew it. He didn't look appeased at all.

"Get. Out. NOW." He snarled.

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry I had to cut back on the updates. I hope you all enjoyed the author's note by Marie though! And this chapter is super long too, so there's that. The new update schedule is pretty simple: TBH and BBW will both update on Monday's only from now on. But I promise I will keep updating, and I won't ever abandon either story!**

**So where do you all think things should go from here? Marie's naked, Logan's pissed, and Wolverine still hasn't gotten his allocated Marie time yet...**


	25. Pancakes and Punishment

**JULY**

* * *

I gulped and slowly paddled to the shore. My feet touched bottom, and I stood, the water lapping at my shoulders. Logan stood at the water's edge, arms crossed. I could feel his glare on me as I took a step forward. The water dropped to my collar bones. Another step. It was just at the top of my chest.

_Nothin' he ain't seen before, kit. Now get yer ass up there 'fore ya get yerself in more trouble._

I walked out the rest of the way without pausing. I was naked and in a heap of trouble, but it would be best to get this over with. Like ripping off a bandaid. Finally, I stood in front of him, arms wrapped around my chest more for warmth than modesty. Logan looked me over, and I blushed.

For the first time, it really hit me that Logan was _a man_, and maybe I wasn't a little girl anymore.

But he only handed me my towel and averted his eyes to glare out over the lake. I took it and wrapped it around myself, looking around for my clothes.

"Where are mah—"

"Raccoons."

I glanced at the rock where I'd put them, but all that was left was one sock. It figured that raccoons would steal my clothes. Outlandish stuff like that always seemed to happen to me. I slipped my shoes back on without being prompted to, then stood still, awkwardly waiting for another order. Logan looked at me again, and his hand twitched as if he might grab me. He seemed to reconsider though and lowered it down to his side.

"C'mon." He growled. "Ya can hike yer own ass back up."

He set off back up the hill without waiting for an answer, and I thought if that was all my punishment, I would be getting off easy. I was wrong. Stumbling down had been hard enough, but hiking back up was torture. My legs burned after only a few minutes. I kept tripping, and my towel kept slipping. I had to hold it up with one hand and wave my other hand around for balance. Logan didn't help me as much as he did before, either because this was my punishment or because body parts kept slipping out from behind my towel. It probably took us about forty minutes to hike back up, mostly because I kept stopping to pant for breath. I hadn't got much sleep, and I wasn't in shape for this sort of activity, and I almost collapsed out of exhaustion when we finally reached the top.

Logan took pity on me though and picked me up bridal style, hands carefully placed in neutral places. He carried me across the clearing and back into the cabin. I let my entire body go limp in his grip and just gasped to get my breath back. He set me down in the bathroom then stormed out, slamming the door behind him without a word. I waited for a moment and nothing else happened, so I decided to take a shower. There wasn't much else for me to do, and I felt grimy from the lake water and the hike back up. I threw my dirty towel in the corner and turned on the water. I'd forgotten to bring in the bathroom stuff, like my travel sized soap and shampoo, so I just stepped under the spray and stood there.

The door opened just long enough for Logan to throw one of his shirts in, then it slammed back shut. I sighed. I was probably still in trouble. The worst part was that I could sort of understand it, and the rest of me was just too tired to protest. Maybe he'd let me sleep and yell at me in the morning.

I ran my hands through my hands, raking out the tangles and pieces of leaves until it was somewhat tamed. There wasn't much else I could do without soap, so I just brushed my hands over my body to feel like I'd wiped the worst of the sweat and grime off and turned off the water. I stepped out and dried myself with a clean towel, then hung both towels up to dry and his shirt on. Since my pajamas were gone, it would just have to do. I couldn't hear Logan moving around, and I didn't know if the silence was good or bad. It seemed bad.

Like ripping off a bandaid.

I walked out of the bathroom. Logan sat at the edge of the bed, but when he raised his head, it was Wolverine who look back at me. Yeah, this was definitely bad. I kept moving though, until I stood in front of him. He stood up, his broad shoulders even with my head. I stared at his neck and didn't move. His hand trailed up my arm, then to my chin, lifting it up. I didn't know if I should dare to look him in the eyes or not. He made the decision for me when he tilted my head to the side.

I kept my eyes downcast while he turned my head back and forth to examine my face. The bruise over my cheek from the fight with May had faded so that it was barely noticeable. He looked over the rest of me next, and I kept my eyes safely focused on his neck. I was so tired, I could feel my knees begin to tremble, and I sat gratefully when he maneuvered us around so that I could sit on the bed and he stood above me. I belatedly realized that left him towering over me, but I was to exhausted to care.

"Explain."

"Ah had a nightmare. Ah didn't want to talk about it. Ah just had to—" I looked up at him and shrugged. "Ah ran."

"You didn't wake me."

"Ah left a note."

His eyes gleamed in the darkness as he regarded me, and he crouched down in front of me. "Our bones are metal. We can't swim. If something had happened to you in the lake...we wouldn't have been able to save you."

I nodded. His anger made a lot more sense now, and I could feel the guilt, but it was difficult just to keep my eyes open. Wolverine saw my struggle and cupped my cheek. I leaned my head against his hand and blinked slowly at him.

"Ah'll be really sorry in the morning." I promised.

He snorted. Grim amusement was better than outright anger though. Maybe. He scooped me up again and carried me to the head of the bed, setting me down so that I could crawl beneath the covers again. I collapsed onto my stomach and didn't even protest when Wolverine spooned me from behind. It only took me a few minutes to fall asleep, one that was thankfully dreamless.

* * *

I woke up the next morning to a low growl in my ear. I sleepily responded by extending my neck, and he nudged my head. I thought it might be approval or maybe he just wanted me to wake up. I opened my eyes and turned slightly to see him, just in case.

"Wolvie?"

He tugged on my shoulder, and I rolled over accordingly. Wolverine stared down at me with golden eyes.

"Marie." He rumbled.

I dropped my eyes and bit my lip. Wolverine always called me kit or kitling. He only used my name when something was wrong, so I must still be in trouble. He brushed his thumb over my cheek, then moved down to rub my side. I relaxed into his touch. I might be in trouble, but he wasn't yelling or ignoring me. Instead, he was checking to make sure I was okay. Whatever my punishment might be, I trusted that it wouldn't be pointless or mean. Wolverine took care of me.

_That's right, kit. I ain't like yer father._

I shuddered at the thought. My Wolvie only wanted to help, but that hit a little too close to home for me, literally. I knew Wolverine—and Logan too—wasn't my father, the very thought of it freaked me out, but they were very clearly in charge of my welfare. They fed, clothed, and sheltered me, and I had agreed to follow their rules. And the very first rule Wolverine had asked me to obey was to be careful and not endanger myself.

Not that I planned on passively accepting my punishment without at least getting some say in the matter however. I didn't like the thought that I still wasn't trusted to go anywhere without him. I thought he'd gotten over that when we both got cellphones, but last night he'd acted like I wasn't allowed to leave the cabin on my own. I opened my mouth to start arguing my case, but my stomach interrupted me with a growl. He did the eyebrow thing, which never failed to make me blush.

"Hungry, kit?" He asked.

I gave him a careful nod.

"Then we'll eat first." He announced.

I blanched at the implication of _first_, and he noticed. He stood and offered me his hand. I grabbed it and got out of bed, but he steered me into the bathroom instead of the kitchen. I turned and looked at his back as he walked away.

"Put your underwear on, kitling."

I stood in the middle of the bathroom and blushed at the empty doorway, just now fully remembering the whole, "I got naked and had my pajamas stolen by raccoons" part of last night. Either Logan or Wolverine had given me their shirt, and at some point his tags had ended up back around my neck. I had collapsed in bed without any underwear on though, and their shirt was the only thing I had on. I snapped out of my embarrassment and looked around the bathroom, spotting a pair of my panties and my bra sitting on the counter next to my toothbrush. No other clothes had been set out.

I took his shirt off and put both of them on, then reconsidered his shirt. I'd worn one of his shirts to bed as a nightgown with just my bra and panties underneath several times before, but now I was giving a bit more thought to the little epiphany I had last night.

Maybe I was getting just a little too old to be running around half or fully naked in front of a grown man, even if he was my man-puppy best friend. But he hadn't set out any other clothes for me, so did that mean he wanted me to wear his shirt?

_I might just want my scent on ya._

I gripped the sink counter and leaned forward, breathing heavily in fear at the unexpected uncertainty in my Wolvie's voice.

_What do yah mean "might"?!_

_I ain't in his head anymore, kit. I'm in yers._

_Then tell meh what **yah** think. Why would yah want meh wearing yeh shirt?_

_...I don't know._

My breathing got more erratic. I hadn't realized how much I relied on my Wolvie until he suddenly didn't have any answers.

_Yer the first person I've ever cared about. Honestly kit, I'm makin' shit up as I go, and he probably is too._

I let out a long, slow breath. I was just guessing and making stuff up too. But I'd already messed up, and Wolverine hadn't been mean about it. So I'd just wear his shirt and trust him to have his reasons. I tugged it back on and brushed my teeth, then walked into the kitchen. The moment I walked in, Wolverine pushed a box of bisquick into my hands. He tapped the picture of pancakes on the box.

"Make this."

He looked at me almost eagerly, and I offered him a small smile in return. He leaned against the counter, mostly out my way, but still close enough that we touched when I got out the milk and griddle. I opened several cabinets before I found a bowl large enough to mix up all the batter I would need, but it was too high up for me to reach. Wolverine pressed his chest into my back, then the bowl was sitting on the counter in front of me. It took me a moment to snap out of the daze caused by his overwhelming physical proximity to realize he'd gotten the bowl for me.

I had to swallow twice before I could speak. "Thanks."

He smirked and took up his post leaning on the counter again while I made an ungodly amount of pancake batter. If pancakes were all he was eating, he would probably eat an entire mountain of them, and I still wanted to get some breakfast in myself. I expected an awkward silence until after we ate, but Wolverine spoke up.

"You have anything to say for yourself?" He asked.

I paused and looked over at him. "Ah thought yah were waiting until after breakfast."

"For your punishment." He agreed. "But I know you got shit to say, so get it out now."

I started stirring again. "Ah jus'...needed to get some air for a while. Ah didn't wake yah up because Ah wanted to be alone, but Ah left a note for yah so yah'd at least know where Ah went."

Wolverine stayed silent, his entire posture casually dominant, and it was really starting to piss me off. What I did wasn't even that bad, and I had deliberately tried to make it better by leaving the note. I just didn't know what he thought I should have done otherwise.

"Alrah-ght yes, Ah ran off without telling yah an' it was probably kinda stupid an' Ah got naked. Mah bad." I stirred harder, taking my frustration out on the innocent pancake batter. "But yah do that all the time, so no, Ah don't think it's fair that Ah'm getting in trouble for it."

"You're right."

I dropped the spoon in the batter out of shock. "Ah am?"

He nodded at the bowl, and I dug out the spoon. I set it in the sink and stopped trying to make pancakes. He waited until he had my full attention before he continued.

"If I wanted to tramp around the forest in the middle of the night, take off all my clothes, and go swimming, I could. And it wouldn't be a problem." He said.

"Then why—"

"You can't because you're a kitling."

"But—"

"I am a trained killer with animal instincts. _I'm_ not going to trip on a log I didn't see and break my neck. _I'm_ not going to be attacked by a wild animal..." He gave me another grim smile. "...because I am a wild animal. And if a couple of rednecks with shotguns found me naked and thought I was pretty, _I_ could fight them off. That's the difference between you and me."

He moved closer with every sentence, until he stood right in front of me, pressed so close our chests almost touched. I made a distressed noise in the back of my throat. Rednecks hitting on Logan or Wolverine might sound funny, but I'd seen the way those two guys had looked at me, and that hadn't been funny at all. I had just wanted some time alone, where I could just be me, and not worry about my skin for five goddamn seconds. But I should have known better.

"Ah didn't think of that." I mumbled.

"I know. You're just a kitling." He lifted my chin again. "But you won't be a kitling much longer, and you need to start thinking things through, instead of doing reckless things that could get you hurt or killed or worse."

I nodded as much as his hand allowed, but he didn't let go.

"That's why you're being punished." He continued. "So next time you remember this, and you think before you act."

He dropped his hand then, and I stared at my feet, taking shaky breaths. He pulled me close and nuzzled my hair while I pushed back my stupid emotion tears and got my breathing under control. I pressed my face into his bare chest, feeling the rough tickle of his chest hair and firm heartbeat. He rubbed my back for a few more minutes, then gently pushed me back.

"Floppy bread things." He said, giving the bowl of pancake batter a pointed look.

I laughed at his description of pancakes and sniffled a bit. "Okay...floppy bread things."

He leaned forward and bumped my head with his chin, which I thought roughly translated from feral to human into a forehead kiss. I got a spatula and carefully poured out four pancakes onto the griddle. While I waited to flip them, Wolverine pulled a package of bacon out of the fridge.

"Skillet?" He asked.

"I thought I saw one in there." I said, pointing to a cabinet.

He took out the skillet, slapped half the package in it, and turned on the burner. I stared as he cooked the bacon, only remembering the pancakes at the last second. I quickly flipped them over. They looked a little bit browner than I liked, but at least they hadn't burnt. That would have been really embarrassing, and this morning had been crazy emotional as it was. And even if I could only see his back—"only" as if the muscles of his broad back weren't incredibly attractive—Wolverine looked really good, cooking bacon in just a pair of sweats.

Like, _really_ good.

I blushed and stared hard at the pancakes. Logan and Wolverine were my best friends...friend? Were they singular or plural? Like one coin, but with two sides? Was _I_ singular or plural, with all the voices in my head?

Whatever, best friends or not, they had a great body. And a girl was allowed the occasional peek, right? What was the point of having a best friend if you couldn't check them out every now and then? And smack...grab...admire...their ass.

But they never needed to know about any of that.

My Wolvie was silent in my head, a surprising mixture of male pride and embarrassment coming off of him. I was kind of embarrassed about it too, and between my imminent punishment and promised fighting lessons, I should really just calm my genitals before I embarrassed myself any further.

I flipped the pancakes onto a plate and poured four more circles of batter on the griddle. I kept my eyes on the pancakes and nothing but until I had a sizable stack built up on the plate. The bacon had finished cooking, and Wolverine sat at the table, munching on it. I searched the cabinets and found some leftover maple syrup from whoever had stayed here last. The expiration date was still good, so I sat that down on the table with the pancakes in front of him. I went back to making more pancakes, and Wolverine had no problem digging in without waiting for me. At least he made his own bacon.

Once the next four pancakes had cooked, I put two on a plate for me and set the other two on Wolverine's rapidly diminishing stack of pancakes. He grunted out an acknowledge from a mouthful of bacon, then reached for another pancake. I stared at him in horror as he rolled it up like a tortilla and ate half of it in one bite.

"No!"

He looked up at me, slack jawed, showing off the half chewed food in his mouth.

"No, no, no! That's not how you eat that!" I insisted, absolutely scandalized.

I knew better than to try to reach for the food already in his hand, so I took a single pancake off his stack and poured syrup over it, then overacted cutting off a bit with a knife and fork.

"See?" I continued. "You use silverware and eat it a piece at a time."

Wolverine gave me a look of pure disgust and defiantly shoved the rest of the pancake in his mouth. I made a pained noise, but he just shooed me away from his food, hunching over his plate and shooting me disgruntled looks. Maybe it was too much for me to expect "the" Wolverine to have manners, but the least he could do was not eat his pancakes like a heathen. What on earth would ever even possess him to _roll_ them like that anyway? It physically hurt me to watch him eat, so I kept my eyes on my own food and tried to ignore the blasphemy taking place next to me.

Halfway through my second pancake, he pushed his empty plate at me and grunted. I glanced at it, then up at him. What, did he expect me to wait on him hand and foot?

"More."

Apparently.

_Ya did promise ya'd cook for us, kit._

_Oh, gawddamn. Fine._

"Ah'm finishing mah pancake first." I said, taking another bite.

He held my gaze for a few seconds, then leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, still staring at me. I resisted the urge to hurry or slow down and tried to eat the rest of my pancake at a normal pace. I was fine with cooking for him, a little happy at the chance to give back even, but I wasn't going to drop everything just to serve him. I finished eating and stood up, taking his plate with me back over to the griddle. He watched as I made four more pancakes for him. I held out the plate to him in offering, but he just tipped his chin up, his eyes challenging me.

I gave in and walked over, setting the plate of pancakes in front of him. He grabbed my arm before I could go and tugged on it, pulling my shoulder down. I stooped awkwardly in front of him, unsure of what he wanted, until he rubbed his cheek against mine. He made a deep purring sound when he did it, then he let me go so I could stumble back to the counter and make more pancakes while he ate.

_Good kitling. I like when ya take care of me._

My Wolvie's translation made me feel better about the exchange. I supposed it might still be a bit chauvinistic of him to expect me to cook and wait on him, but at least he had said thank you, sort of, in his own way. And honestly, I really didn't have any other skills to offer. It wasn't as if I could go out and get a job, even if I wanted to. Not one that was safe or legal anyway. So if cooking and cleaning were the only things I could do for him, I would deal with the slight sting to my pride and do that.

The next time I put another set of four pancakes on his plate, he pushed the plate of bacon my way. I was surprised he shared his food, especially food that he had cooked himself. He looked almost smug though when I took a slice and nibbled on it while I scraped out the last of the batter. I hoped he was getting full, otherwise I'd have to make a whole new bowl of batter. And anyway, he'd already eaten enough to feed a very large army of hungry men. I gave him the last of the pancakes and began cleaning up the kitchen, hoping he'd take the hint that breakfast was over. He must have, because he sat back and allowed me to take both plates once he was done. I set them in the sink with the rest of the dirty dishes and wondered if I could get away with stalling for more time by washing them.

Wolverine came up behind me and took my hand, so apparently not. I tried to control my breathing as he led me back to the table and sat down. I couldn't figure out what he was going to do until I was suddenly staring at the floor, with my waist bent over his knee. It clicked in my mind how he planned on punishing me, and I struggled in his grip.

"No, Wolv—"

"Marie." He growled again, using The Voice.

I quit trying to protest, but kept flailing. He just grabbed both of my hands and held them behind my back. When I tried to get up, he pulled my hands up, forcing my shoulders and torso back down. I kicked my legs, but I was bent over his right knee, and he used his left to trap my legs in between the two. I couldn't kick, he had my hands trapped, and he used the leverage to keep my waist bent and my upper half shoved down. I was trapped, with my ass pushed up in the air and only covered by his shirt and my panties. He moved the shirt out of the way, and I whined desperately.

"This spanking has been a long time coming now, and you know it, kitling." He said, in a completely even tone that I hated.

My brilliant reply was another frantic whimper.

"You get ten swats, and you're going to be a good little kitling and count them for me out loud." He continued.

"Wha—"

The first smack hit right between my nearly bare ass and my upper thighs, and I gasped in a mixture of shock and pain. Tears welled up as the sting of it burned through my skin. I heaved, trying to draw in air past the pain and sheer disbelief that he was actually spanking me.

"Kitling. I'm only going to warn you once."

I panted in short, quick breaths, nearly hyperventilating. What was he even talking about? Why did he have to hit so hard? It really, really hurt.

_Yer supposed t'be countin', kit._

I considered not saying anything at all, first of all because counting how many times I got spanked was ridiculous and secondly because fuck him, that's why. But then he growled lowly, this time not in approval at all, and my will crumbled.

"...one."

* * *

**A/N: So how's that for a cliffhanger? Is it weird that I've really been looking forward to FINALLY writing a scene where Wolverine spanks Marie for real?**

**And for those of you that have been wondering or asking about it, Marie is in fact starting to see Logan and Wolverine as a bit more than just her best friend. She's not going to suddenly fall in love with them over night, but she's definitely going to start noticing them in a different way physically. It'll be a while before loving them as a friend and protector will change to _in love _with them, but she's finally starting down that path! WHOO!**

**The next chapter will be the rest of her punishment, her promised fighting lessons, and some camping. But I'm open for ideas, especially about what they should do camping. Sleep in the cabin or outside under the stars? Campfire and marshmallows? Any more swimming to be done at the lake?**

**Also, really great news: I only have about 7 or 8 important plot events to happen before shit goes down and they start on their journey to the mansion! And by "important plot events" I mean things like Marie's fifteenth and sixteenth birthdays, two more Christmas specials, Marie having a wet dream about Logan, Logan opening up and talking about his nightmares, and Marie getting jealous of barflies. (No particular order on that list by the way.) I feel like all of those are too important to skip over, but I'll try to get them down in only one chapter or two at the most so we can get on to the mansion quicker.**

**And since so many of you have written me such nice, sympathetic reviews about the semester starting and how you're all worrying about school too, I asked Logan for some advice. If you want to hear what tips he gave me for surviving the semester, REVIEW and I'll post it on Friday as a short little back to school special to make up for the cutback on updates!**


	26. Lessons Learned

**A/N: Bit of a spoiler, but just so you're clear on who's speaking: Logan's voice is _bold italic_, Wolverine's voice is **_underlined italic_**, and Marie's voice is **_plain italic_**.**

* * *

**STILL JULY**

* * *

I expected Wolverine to at least give me a moment to catch my breath after I started the count, but the second smack hit before I could even inhale. I exhaled instead, making a noise almost as embarrassing as the punishment itself. I sucked in another breath, determined not to embarrass myself any further. I would do his stupid count, and I wouldn't cry, and he would see just how grown up and mature I was.

"This isn't...faaaaair!" I wailed instead.

He smacked me again, and I whimpered. My thighs were already starting to burn, and I could feel the blood rushing to my head. My brief resistance crumbled, and I gave up completely.

"Thr—ee." I gasped out.

He rested his hand on my ass. "No, kitling. That was two."

I wanted to keep whining about how epically unfair _that_ was, but I had already given up, so I might as well get this over with. I took in another shuddering breath and tried again.

"Two."

He rubbed my bare skin, soothing the burn long enough for me to relax and dare to hope for mercy. The next smack caught me totally off guard, even worse than the first since I'd already had three before.

"Three."

My voice was more steady now that I'd accepted that this was happening, but the pain wasn't easing at all. Another smack, and I had to bite my lip to hold in a whimper.

"...four."

Another.

"F-five."

Another.

"S-s-six."

And another.

"Se—v-ven."

I braced myself for the next one, my lip trembling. I'd given up on not crying around the fifth—really the sixth—and settled for just not openly sobbing. It wasn't like it was the worst pain I'd ever been in, but it did hurt really bad. It was the psychological aspect that hurt the most. Just knowing that I was being _spanked_, at fourteen, was embarrassing enough to make me cry.

"Eigh...t."

God, it hurt. His smacks never got harder, but he wasn't showing any mercy either. I knew I only had two more, but I couldn't help tensing and whimpering. At least my skin wasn't—

"Wolverine!" I practically shouted, arching and twisting wildly in his grip.

"Kitli—"

"No, stop! Really, stop, please stop!" I begged.

He growled uneasily but rested his hand gently back on my ass again instead of delivering another smack. I shied away from even that contact, still trying to get out of his grip. He settled his hand on my lower back instead, pressing me down against his thigh. I calmed down then. He still had my hands pinned, but he was gripping my wrists, which were covered by his shirt's long sleeves. My legs were bare, but his were covered by his sweats.

"Mah skin." I said as soon as I could catch my breath. "What if it turns on?"

_It won't. Jest calm down, kit._

"You're not scared enough for that." He replied.

"But what if—"

He actually cut me off with a snort. "It's not going to hurt me, kit. My hand is only touching you for a second."

_I only kissed you for a second..._

Cody's voice drifted through my mind, along with the memory of how his entire body had seized up as he choked for air, laying in the hospital, not quite dead but not really alive.

I absolutely lost it then, struggling so hard I wasn't even sure what I was doing, I just had to get away, had to make it stop before it was too late, make it stop, make it stop stop STOP!

Then I was heaving on the floor.

"...kid?"

I sobbed and curled up, trying to tuck my bare legs inside his shirt.

"Marie? God...please, Marie. I'm sorry, I'm so—"

"Shut up!" I yelled.

Logan stared back at me with the face of a puppy that had just been drop kicked, and I scooted backwards away from him until my back hit the kitchen counter. I closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to look at his devastated expression.

_...Marie?_

_No, shut up, shut up, shut up shut up shut up shutupshutupshutup!_

No one said anything after all, and the only sound was my own ragged breathing. I was still open mouth sobbing, and I could taste the tears and snot running into my mouth. I cried until I couldn't cry anymore, and then I just laid there on the floor. I wasn't doing anything at all, not even crying anymore, just breathing. Breathing in and breathing out. Breathing and soaking up sunlight from all the pretty windows. I was like a plant. I was photosynthesizing.

I was crazy.

I was a crazy, photosynthesizing plant, and I'd just hurt my best friend. Logan wasn't making any noise at all, but he hadn't left, and I swore I could physically feel his hurt. I wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault, and I still loved him, and hug him until it was all better, but I couldn't hug him. I couldn't touch him. I couldn't touch anyone. Ever.

_Kitling..._

_No._

_Kit—_

_No._

_M—_

_No._

A mental whine. I refused to even say no to that. I didn't say anything at all. I retreated to my blank space, the empty canvas in my head. Everything was white in my mind, and I was just a crazy, photosynthesizing plant, breathing in and breathing out.

"What...did he...do?"

No.

"Marie."

No.

"Marie...pl—please..."

The sheer pain in his voice made me open my eyes. I stared at the floor. It was a wood floor. A very nice floor. Probably expensive. If I looked at the grains just right, there was a darker patch that kind of looked like a boot.

"Me." I mumbled, not looking up.

Or Italy.

"What did he do to you?"

Italy looked like a boot.

"Marie, wha—"

"He didn't do anything to me. He didn't hurt me. Don't be mad at him." I said in a monotone.

There. Now Logan wouldn't have to feel guilty, and he could leave me, and I would just lay here and photosynthesize until I died or turned into a plant.

_Marie, stop._

_No._

_Goddammit, kitling!_

I shook my head back and forth. Uh-uh.

"What happened?"

I stayed silent and heard him take a deep breath.

"We can stay here all day."

Fine. We would stay here forever, and I would photosynthesize and die. See if I wouldn't. I'd do it just out of spite.

_Now yer jest being ridiculous._

_Go away._

_No._ My Wolvie sneered, mimicking me.

_...what then?_

_Tell him what happened, kit._

"Let go."

What?

"Marie, let go of my tags."

"NO!"

I sat up so fast the side of my head slammed against a handle on one of the lower drawers. Logan reached for me, but I pressed back away from him, and he lowered his hand with a pained expression. I could feel blood trickling down behind my ear and when I reached my hand up to touch my head, I saw blood was already smeared across my hand. I looked down and saw blood on the tags too. I must have gripped them so tight I cut myself.

_That's why he wanted ya to let go, kitling. Not because ya had to give them back._

I whimpered. My head hurt, and my ass hurt, and I was exhausted all over again from crying. I just wanted things to be okay again. I wanted to be normal. I wanted my mother.

I looked back up at Logan. He was kneeling in front of me with his legs tucked underneath him. His jaw was clenched and his hands were made into fists. He looked like he was hurting just as much as I was, if not more. I lurched forward onto my hands and knees and crawled toward him. He stayed completely still as I came closer. He didn't have a shirt on, so even though I wanted to, I couldn't curl up in his lap. I couldn't risk my hands or face touching his bare chest. I had to fix this though, and I wanted him to hold me so badly. His legs were covered by his sweats, so I laid my head in his lap and curled up around his thighs instead.

My head rested on his up thigh, but I kept my face turned out away from his crotch. My back pressed against his thighs, and I pulled my legs back up inside his shirt. He let me lay there for a minute, his hands hovering awkwardly above me. Finally, he touched my head, carefully brushing my hair to the side to look at where the handle had hit me.

"Nothing happened." I muttered.

"He hurt you."

"No, he didn't."

"I remember...he...hurt you."

"He spanked meh." I corrected. "He wasn't even mean about it. He explained why Ah was in trouble. He didn't yell at meh. He didn't even use a belt."

Logan stayed quiet.

"Mah dad used a belt." I continued. "That left bruises."

Logan growled and gripped my side. Then he seemed to realize he was touching me, and he let go. I whined and reached behind me. The sleeves of his shirt came down far enough that they covered my hands and I could grab his arm without touching his skin. I pulled his arm back down and wrapped it all the way around my torso.

"It was meh. Ah'm the one who freaked out."

"Why?"

"Mah skin. It might have turned on."

"Jesus fucking Christ. _That's_ all this is about?"

I scrambled away from him and shoved his arms back when he tried to reach for me.

"Yah don't get it! Ah coulda killed yah!" I shouted.

"You're not going to kill me, kid." He said, actually having the audacity to sound exasperated.

"YES AH CAN!" I resorted to outright screaming. "Ah can kill yah or put yah in a coma! Yah can't touch meh, no one can evah touch meh, no no NO!"

He reached for me again, and I tried to keep shoving him back, but he just grabbed my wrists with one hand. With his other hand, he shoved the sleeve down and pressed my bare hand against his face.

_**I love you. Love you forever. Please don't cry, fucking hate it when you cry.**_

I hit the floor, gasping for breath for the second time in one morning. Logan lay on the floor next to me. He wasn't moving.

_**Scream like a fucking banshee too.**_

_...Logan?_

"Logan?" I echoed out loud.

_**Don't worry about me, kid.**_

_He's jest fuckin' fine. How do ya feel, kitling?_

"Kid...you alright?"

It was too many voices, all at once. I didn't know which one was real and which were in my head and who was who anymore. What did my voice even sound like?

_Mah voice. Mah head. Ah'm Marie D'ancanto. Ah'm from Mississippi. Mah voice is the one with the accent._

_Kitling—_

_**Shh! Leave her alone. Kid needs some quiet.**_

_She needs t'be comforted, asshole._

_**No, she needs quiet. So just shut up and go away!**_

_Yeah, I guess I should jest run away, huh? But that's **yer** fuckin' specialty, ain't it bub?_

_**You don't know a goddamn thing, you selfish mutt—**_

_I'M the selfish one?! Yer the one always runnin' off and leavin' the poor kit—_

_**You're just a dirty animal fucking up her mind—**_

_You're a stupid human who keeps making her cry—_

_SHUT UP! SHUT UP BOTH OF YAH, JUS' SHUT UP!_

They both whimpered and quieted down in my head. For a few blessed moments, it was completely silent. And then—

"Marie?"

I wadded up the end of my sleeve in my fist and opened my eyes. Logan was on his hands and knees in front of me, his face right up close to mine. I punched him.

It had to be the shock and exhaustion from just being knocked out and possibly nearly killed, but I actually managed to push him down. We wrestled and flopped around until I straddled his waist, still hitting him. He didn't fight back, and my arms got tired, and at some point my punches had turned into girly little slaps to his chest until I just collapsed on top of him. Between my hair and his chest hair, our skin must not have actually touched or maybe I was just too tired to even be scared anymore and it had turned off completely. Either way, I laid on top of him, panting and hating him.

"Yah...yah..." I couldn't think of words to describe how stupid he was, so I settled for screaming incoherently into his chest.

"M'not dead." he mumbled.

I lifted my head. "What?"

"You touched me...and I'm...not dead."

I stared at him like the idiot that he was.

"Nothing for...you to be...afraid of."

He almost died just to make me feel better, so I did the only logical thing to do and burst into tears.

_**No, kid. You gotta stop. Don't cry anymore, Marie.**_

_Now lookit whatcha did, dumbass._

"Ah told ya'll to shut up." I muttered, sniffing back my tears.

Logan touched the back of my head again. "His voice real strong...in you, kid?"

"Both of yah." I sniffled.

His hand stilled. "What?"

"Ah got yeh voice this time. Now Ah have yah an' Wolvie, an' yah don't get along well." I explained.

"Shit. I'm so—"

"No, stop. Yah have to stop." I sat up and pressed the heels of my palms against my eyes. "Stop."

Logan stayed quiet beneath me and in my head while I got my breathing under control and stopped crying.

"Yah didn't do anything wrong. Wolvie didn't do anything wrong. Don't be mad at him or feel guilty because yah've both been trying to help an' yeh a perfect, special snowflake." I said.

_**What?**_

_It's what mah counselor used to say to meh when Ah felt bad about mahself._

"Then...what's wrong?" Logan asked.

"Me!" I replied. "Ah'm wrong, an' this entire thing is mah fault!"

_**You feel bad about yourself?**_

_She still thinks what happened to that little shit Cody is her fault._

"There ain't nothin' wrong with you, kid."

I winced and barely stopped myself from clapping my hands over my ears. "Ah can't do three conversations at once...real-Logan, you talk."

"Why do you think you're...wrong?" He asked.

"Mah skin—"

"Didn't even hurt me until I forced you to." Logan interrupted. "And I'm sorry for that, but it didn't kill me, didn't put me in a coma, it barely even hurt. I'm fine now, so I don't understand why you think this is your fault."

I looked at my hands. "Ah'll...hurt yah."

Logan sat up, gathering me into his lap. I didn't resist this time and let him cradle me in his arms. He held up his hand in front of my face and slowly slid his claws out.

"Do you trust me not to hurt you?" He asked.

I reached out and ran my finger along the side of one claw. "Yes."

"Even though I could literally kill you in my sleep?"

"Ah could do the same to yah." I insisted, letting my hand drop.

"But I trust you, just like you trust me." He replied.

I snuggled closer to his chest and breathed in his warmth. He always radiated heat, and I could feel his heartbeat again, still strong and steady. He put his claws back in and went back to stroking my hair while I calmed down. I could feel the barely contained impatience from the Logan and Wolverine in my head, despite their silence. It reminded me of videos I'd seen where a dog was forced to balance a treat on their nose, and they just sat there staring cross eyed at it, their concentration so intense it was almost palpable.

_Yah can talk now._

They practically tripped over each other in their rush to reassure me that there wasn't anything wrong with me, that they loved me, and they would never hurt me. For a moment, I selfishly basked in it, in having two wonderful best friends that loved me even when I acted crazy.

_Alrah-ght, alrah-ght. One at a time. Logan, the real yah already got to speak, so Ah'm gonna put yah on hold. Sorry, sugah. Wolvie first._

_Yer still our packmate, kit. Nothin's gonna change that, so stop feelin' sorry fer yerself and cheer the fuck up._

I had to smile at my Wolvie's gruff attempt at a pep talk. If he were real, I knew he'd be smirking and preening right now in triumph at making me smile.

_**You think she's our packmate?**_

_Of course she's our goddamn packmate. What the fuck do ya think she is?_

_**...our best friend.**_

_That's a stupid, meaningless human word._

_Wolvie, don't be mean._

_Packmate is better than friend!_

_**It is not! She's my best friend!**_

_Fuck ya, bub! She's mine!_

_**I'm the one that loves her—**_

_I love her too!_

_**I love her more!**_

_No—_

I laughed out loud at Logan and Wolverine's antics. The real Logan looked down at me and lifted my head up. I smiled shyly back at him.

"The two of yah are arguing about who loves me most." I told him.

"Am I winning?" He asked.

_**Yes.**_

_No._

Then, both at once.

_**Marie?!**_

"It's not a competition. Ah love yah both equally." I said.

They both whined in my head, and even the real Logan pouted. I gave him a tired smile and leaned back against his chest in consolation.

"Ah'm sorry Ah freaked out on yah." I whispered.

He squeezed me tighter. "I'm sorry I let that happen."

"Lo—"

"Marie, no. What he did was too far, and he knows it...he says he's sorry too."

"Wasn't that bad." I said, despite my still burning backside.

Logan was silent for a long moment before he spoke again. "You said he told you why you were in trouble...?"

"Yeah. He explained that yah two could run off an' get naked because yeh old an' strong enough to take care of yehselves. Ah can't because Ah'm young an' little, an' if someone else had found me, it could have ended really badly. He jus' wants meh to think about stuff like that before Ah act." I said, dutifully repeating the lesson I'd learned.

I felt him nod slowly, like that surprised him.

_He thinks I'm jest a stupid animal._

The Logan in my head didn't disagree.

"He's a person Logan, an' he loves me jus' like yah do."

It took a lot for me to say that, to push down all my fears and insecurities about whether or not either of them _really_ loved me. But it was hard to feel bad about myself with both of them in my head, each reassuring me in their own way.

"He didn't spank meh because he was mad at meh an' wanted to hurt meh. He only did it because he wants meh to think about the consequences of mah actions." I said.

"Did you understand all of that before he...spanked you?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Then it wasn't necessary."

I didn't argue with that. I didn't want Logan to be mad at Wolverine, and I understood why he did it, but I wasn't going to ask for future spankings either.

"Next time you—or me, if either of us do something wrong, we can talk about it like adults." He said.

I blinked and looked up at him. "Did yah jus' volunteer to start talking about yeh feelings?"

He blinked back and looked almost shy. "Yeah...I guess I did."

"Alrah-ght...pinky promise." I held up my pinky in offering.

He stared at it for a moment before slowly raising his hand again. I took it and wrapped his pinky around mine, then very solemnly shook it.

"With this pinky promise, we swear to be adults." I declared.

A faint smile touched his lips, and I smiled back at him.

"...aaaaand Wolvie still teaches meh how to fight."

"Kid." He growled.

"Part of the problem here is that Ah might hurt mahself or accidentally hurt someone else. Ah need to learn how to protect mahself, or neither of yah will ever be okay with letting meh out of yeh sight." I said.

"Yes, that. I'll just never let you out of my sight." He muttered.

"Logan." I warned, gripping his pinky tighter.

He looked at our joined pinkies and raised an eyebrow at my threat. He flexed his hand, showing off that somehow even his thumbs had muscles. I refused to be impressed—they were freaking rock solid—and glared back at him.

"Yah weren't so tough when yah were gasping for air an' flopping on the floor like a fish outta water." I shot back.

He just grinned. "Yeah, you really knocked the wind outta me."

"That's not something to be happy about!"

"You should be proud, kid. Only one to ever knock out the King of the Cage." He said with a cocky smirk.

"An' don't yah forget it, sugah!"

* * *

**A/N: Alright, so I lied about the camping. Unintentionally though! I was writing the spanking scene, and then I was like, but what about her skin? And then this giant angst monster came out and this is what I wrote. Sorry.**

**Not sorry.**

**And the next chapter won't be about them camping either, sorry/not sorry again. Think of it this way, you can either have another chapter with a bit of marshmallows and fluff, or I can start skipping the fuck ahead. I hear your complaints about how slow this is moving, and even I want this to hurry up already. But I still want a well written story with believable character development instead of "and three years later when Marie is conveniently legal and has fallen in love with Logan off camera because we all know they're destined to be together anyway, they have smut because I said so." I hate that shit. I would rather read thirty chapters of two people actually falling in love than three hastily written "because I said so" chapters.**

**So that's what happened with this update, and I'm going to try to combine all those important plot points I mentioned last time into just a few chapters. I'm shooting for five to eight. I know that's still a lot, but I promise I'll try really hard to keep it on the lower end of the scale and still keep the quality high. **

**Pray for me.**

**Coming up next: It's Marie's fifteenth birthday, and both Logan and Wolverine each have something to teach her...**

* * *

**And I almost forgot! THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT! My mom is trying to win a competition that would really mean a lot to her. She's a custom cowboy bootmaker, which means she makes cowboy boots by hand-no employees, no assembly line. Machines and tools, obviously, but all on her own. She's considered a master bootmaker and she's been doing it for twenty years. Her boots have appeared in the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum and she was featured on Craft in America.**

**She's a big fucking deal, guys. The award for winning the competition is a trip to New York City and $10,000. So please pleas PLEASE follow this link, make an account, and vote for my mommy! You can vote SIX times a day PER email. So if you have three emails, you can make three accounts and vote eighteen times, if you really love me like that.**

**The link is: www. marthastewart americanmade/nominee/79574?site_section=am&destination=http%3A%2F% .com%2Famericanmade%2Fnominee%2F79574**

**Just remove the spaces in between the two dots and forward slash after com. Fanfiction is really weird about posting links, so I had to put the spaces in. Please help my mom win!**


	27. Don't Say Sexy!

**MORE JULY**

I dropped the soap.

_**Bend with your knees, kid.**_

_Can't ya jest let her alone fer five seconds?!_

_**She needs to be careful!**_

_Careful of what? All the other people in here?_

_Wolvie's right, sugah. Ah'm jus' fi—_

My foot slipped out from beneath me, and I slammed a hand against the wall. Both the wall and my hand were wet and slick though, and it did little to help stop my fall. I slid sideways, and my knees hit the shower door while my hip slammed into the wall. My hands scrabbled uselessly at the smooth white tile, and I landed in a heap on my ass. Just to add insult to injury, the hot water sputtered out and the spay of water turned cold.

_**Kid, you okay?**_

_Kitling?_

_**This is why she needs to be fucking careful!**_

_She's jest a little shook up. Probably wouldn't-a even slipped if ya dumb ass hadn't distracted—_

I curled up in a ball and started crying. Both of them stopped yelling at each other and started asking what was wrong, trying to make me feel better, but that only made it even worse. It'd only been a week since getting Logan's voice, and it had been freaking unbearable ever since. Wolvie would at least fade into the background and be quiet sometimes, but now they had each other to talk to—squabble and bitch at—and it was never quiet.

I just wanted it to be quiet.

They granted my request and shut up as the cold water rained down on me. I sobbed and thanked God that at least the real Logan was already gone tonight. I didn't think I could handle it if he heard me crying and burst in here too. His grand idea of "talking about our feelings" meant _I _talked about _my _feelings and sometimes he would grunt at me. He just expected me to figure out what his nonverbal sounds and brooding silences meant or maybe he thought I knew everything about him now that I had his voice in my head. But all that Logan ever did was worry and lecture and worry some more, and anyway, it would be nice if I could actually hear what he meant from the real him and not the voice in my head.

I cried myself out and began to calm down, taking in deep, gasping breaths. I knew I'd hurt the Logan in my head with my selfish little pity party. And even though he wasn't real, he was real to me. But I didn't know how to make it right. Every time I did something that he considered even remotely "dangerous," he would sulk about it. No matter how small or stupid it was. And God forbid I get angry at him or just have a bad day. He took everything so personally, and I was sick of trying to reassure him every five seconds that I still loved him.

Even worse, I had the horrible suspicion that's how the real Logan thought too. And I thought I had insecurities. Was the real Logan this vulnerable or was his voice worse because he was in my head?

In the end, I just got back up and finished showering. Logan retreated to the corner of my mind and brooded for the rest of the night. I didn't try to call him back this time. I was his best friend, but I simply didn't have the emotional capacity to be his personal cheering squad all day, every day. And it was my head anyway. He should be doing that for me, not the other way around.

That's what I tried to tell myself as I cried myself to sleep.

* * *

**SEPTEMBER**

Life went on and even got better in some ways. The Logan in my head started to be more supportive instead of taking up all of my time and emotional energy. I knew he still felt like he loved me more than I loved him, but there really wasn't anything I could say to change that, so we both just left it alone. My Wolvie was a big help by always cheering me up and telling Logan to shut up whenever he got too angsty.

On the other hand, my Wolvie was a huge pain in the ass by always cheering me up and telling Logan to shut up.

Sometimes I didn't want to be cheered up. And I could definitely do without Wolvie picking a fight with Logan over every little comment. But eventually, we all settled down and learned to live with each other. I think mostly I had so much trouble adjusting to Logan's voice just because it made number three. When it was just me and Wolvie, it was easy to hold a straight, linear conversation. The only time it got difficult was when I tried to focus on the real world too. But with Logan in there with us, our conversations got sidetracked and made weird triangles with someone else always butting in or two of us ganging up on the odd one out. It was just the old saying that two's a party and three's a crowd.

And then there was the real Logan, so I guess technically that made the four of us. And then plus his Wolverine too, so that made five, but only because I was seeing double and still trying to keep track of myself and sometimes the other voices would comment from the peanut gallery and sometimes I felt like I was literally going insane.

Especially when I couldn't remember which Logan had said what and accidentally forgot to tell the real Logan I was going somewhere or doing something. I never had that problem with Wolverine and his voice just because I hardly ever got to see him, so it was easier to remember who I had talked to about what. The real Logan and I fought about that a lot, but it wasn't like the Fourth of July weekend. He tried to tone down the "you're in trouble, little girl" attitude, and I tried not to get emotional and just start screaming.

But that didn't always work. There were lots of storm outs, on both of our parts. I never went any farther than the truck though, and I always came back inside at night. But Logan left. He'd go out to a bar and fight and drink and whatever else it was that he did. I tried not to be too pissed about that, since it actually gave me some time to calm down and have a rational argument by the time he got back.

And I could tell he really tried to do better. He learned to be a little more patient, even if it was just out of guilt for sticking his voice in my head in the first place. I tried to be patient with him too. He hated to let me do anything on my own, and I tried really hard to remember that he wasn't trying to be a stupid, patronizing jerk, he was just afraid of me getting older and not needing him anymore.

I wished he would just say that. All we had to do was talk about it, maybe even scream about it, but I'd rather have a fight than silence. He couldn't walk out the door if he was still fighting with me. And maybe we could work something out if he would just acknowledge the goddamn problem.

"Three blocks!" I shouted with that in mind. "Yah can't trust me for three blocks?!"

But he stayed cool, leaning against the door, just a step away from leaving again. Part of his new "patience" attitude was that he would force himself to stay calm for so long, he'd blew up and storm out when he finally let himself get mad.

"At night, walking alone, in this shit hole town." He said.

I hated his stupid, I-know-better-than-you-little-girl tone.

_**Don't go trying to pick fights, kid. I'm just looking out for you.**_

I threw my hands up. "Well if yah so worried about it being dangerous, how about Ah get those fighting lessons yah promised? It's been two months, where the hell are they?!"

He glared back. "Don't swear at me."

_**Don't swear, Marie.**_

I flinched from the echo. It was weird when they synced up like that. It felt like he was speaking directly inside my mind...and he actually kind of was. I opened my eyes to see him still staring at me, so I sighed and explained.

"Sorry. Echo. Sometimes yah two sync up and say the same thing at the same time. Ah gotta listen to yah out here an' in mah head, an' sometimes Ah jus' want yah to shut up." I looked away from him and sat on the bed.

"You weren't like this when you got him." Logan replied, stressing the last word.

I hated that they were jealous of each other. It was just stupid. They were the same damn person! And that was another thing that we never talked about. If he would let me explain why it was different...but nooooo, he was a man's man and men don't talk about their feelings.

_**...words are hard for me.**_

_Ya could at least stick around and not go runnin' off._

"He's a different person. Ah talked to yah here and him in there." I tried to explain. "Now Ah can't even take a shower without yah giving meh a lecture on not dropping the soap."

He did his eyebrow thing at that, and I was caught between blushing and glaring.

"Ah slipped once, an' yah sulked for the rest of the night!" I grumbled.

"Getting tired of me, kid?" He asked with a tight smile.

I sighed. It wasn't that simple, and he just wasn't getting it. "Ah jus' wanna little time to mahself. Watching a movie keeps yah two occupied. Quiet. All Ah want is an hour and a half."

"Fine." He growled, stalking out the door.

For a second I was afraid he was just plain leaving, but he held the door open, and I practically leapt off the bed following after him.

_**Don't like you walking home late at night, kid. And can't you just cut it out with all this independence bullshit? Stay home like a good little girl and let me handle everything.**_

I had to suppress a shudder at the 1950's housewife image that gave me. Part of the reason I wanted to get out of Mississippi was because I wanted to do more than just sit at home and cook and clean and be pregnant while I waited for my husband to come home.

_That's sexist._ I chided him.

I heard Logan opening my door for me, and I realized I must have said that out loud from the puzzled look he gave me, paused in the middle of holding the door open.

"Sorry, talking to the other yah. Ah didn't mean opening mah door for meh. That's chivalry." I told him.

His look turned skeptical. "What's the difference?"

I opened my mouth but couldn't think of any immediate reply off the top of my head. I considered it further and made a face at him, then looked around, searching for an answer. I didn't really have one.

I eased my way into the truck and didn't meet his eyes. "We should hurry to make it to the movie on time."

He snorted before he slammed my door shut. I buckled my seat belt and thought about the movie. I hadn't seen any of the others, and I should probably watch the movies in order, but I'd already read all the books. Maybe later, one day, I would go back and start with The Sorcerer's Stone, then work my way back up to The Half Blood Prince from there.

_**That the one with all the wand waving and broom flying?**_

_It's called Harry Potter, sugah._

_**What's it rated? Is there nudity?**_

I mentally rolled my eyes. At least the real Logan was too preoccupied with my short walk back to the motel to nag about what the movie was actually about.

_She's seen us naked before. Ain't like that scrawny kid has anything we don't got._

_Point Wolvie._

_**Just promise you'll close your eyes at any bad parts. And be careful walking back.**_

_Ah promise._

_Have fun, kit._

_**Love ya, kid.**_

Then they both faded back away into my mind, leaving me with just the sound of the engine running and my own breathing. I was relieved, but I missed them at the same time. They would be back after the movie though, to watch over me while I walked back.

"Ah'm not trying to run off on mah own or steal yeh manly thunder." I said, hoping I could make the real Logan understand too.

He only grunted, but his body language stayed open. I'd gotten really good at reading him like that since I got him in my head. He might not be responding, but he was at least listening. I scooted closer and hugged him. He listened better to actions than words sometimes, and I tried to keep that in mind.

"Ah'm not gonna leave yah, sugah...Ah love yah." I whispered.

He wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled the side of my head. "Love ya too, kid."

I smiled into his shoulder, then pulled away and started to open my door. A gentle tug at my head stopped me, and I twisted back around to see Logan holding a strand of my hair. He handed me two bills, and I grinned sheepishly.

"Oh. Right." I leaned up and kissed his cheek on impulse.

It wasn't a big deal. He'd kissed my forehead before, and his lips sometimes brushed against my cheek and temple when he nuzzled me. It was just a way for me to say thank you, something that friends did for each other all the time, not a big deal at all, and I jumped out of the truck before I could start hyperventilating. The Logan and Wolvie in my head had probably seen all of that, but they remained quiet about it, to my eternal gratitude.

My nerves calmed down as I stood in line to buy my ticket and by the time I'd gotten myself a bag of twizzlers and a slushy, I'd started to get excited about the movie instead. The theater was packed, but I found a seat at the very back, almost in the middle of the row, next to a couple eating each other's faces off like aliens. Whatever. I hated edge seats, and I just wouldn't look.

Another couple sat on my other side, sandwiching me between two happy couples that had dates and hopefully condoms too for when they got home. Despite that, I managed to ignore them once the movie actually started playing. It was good enough that I made a mental note to ask Logan to swing me by a Blockbusters so I could rent and watch all the rest.

Getting out of the theater was a nightmare though. Everyone all swarmed out at once, and even if I didn't have two paranoid, overprotective voices in my head, I still wouldn't have liked being caught in the middle of it.

_Shove them the fuck outta yer way._

_**A quick dick punch will get that asshole outta the way.**_

_Calm yeh tits, boys. Ah got this._

_Might wanna look after ya own tits, kitling. Gettin' all hot-n-bothered over kissin' Logan._

_It was on the cheek!_

_Bet I could do it better._

_**You've never kissed a woman in your sorry life, mutt.**_

_'Cause kissin' is fer humans._

_**So what the fuck would you know about it?**_

_Could learn for her. How'd ya like that, kitling?_

A sharp whistle cut through their conversation and whatever reply I would have come up with. I looked around and spotted the real Logan with relief. Wolvie had said some pretty raunchy things before and even teased me about my crush on Bruce Willis (the 80's version, with hair), but he'd never outright flirted with me before. Which was actually kind of weird if I thought about it, considering he was just a voice in my own head. Like having an imaginary boyfriend. But him and Logan were just my best friend, and I wasn't thinking about it, and it was just too damn late for this anyway.

Logan leaned against the side of his truck, brown leather jacket blown open by the wind to show off the wife beater clinging to his chest and the glint of his belt buckle in the street lights. He took a last inhale of his cigar, the tip glowing brightly, before he flicked it to the ground and blew the smoke out.

I almost slipped in a puddle of my own drool and fell on my pride. What was left of it anyway. He shifted back and held his arm out ever so slightly as I got closer. Helpless to resist even an unspoken request, I walked up and pressed myself against his side.

I swallowed past my dry throat. "Ah thought yah had a fight tonight?"

"Wanted to make sure you got back safe. Feel better now?" He asked.

"Yeah." I replied. "Ah jus' needed an hour or so."

I leaned into his chest and stifled a yawn. The movie had gotten out pretty late, and the combination of the cold air and his body heat was making me sleepy.

"Hey, kid..."

I glanced up at him, but I couldn't stop a yawn this time. I rubbed the back of my hand over my eyes, trying to wake myself up.

"Get lots of sleep tonight. You got a big day tomorrow." He said.

I blinked slowly. "What's tomorrow?"

"Lessons."

It took me a moment to figure out what he meant, and then I whooped and hugged him.

"Thank yah, thank yah, thank yah!"

* * *

"Kitling."

"Ohmahgawd, shuddup." I groaned.

Logan and Wolvie had kept me awake last night, worrying and bickering out my fighting lessons. I buried my face into my pillow and tried to block them out, but a low growl cut through my sleep. My eyes snapped open, and I practically levitated off the bed in shock when I saw Wolverine's golden eyes looking back at me.

"Wolverine! It's really yah!" I shouted, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He growled again. "Who the fuck else did you think it would be?"

"Yah an' Logan argue in mah head _all _the time." I explained. "Ah'm sorry Wolvie, Ah knew it was yah, Ah just' didn't know it was really yah."

Luckily, that seemed to make sense to him, and he rubbed his cheek against mine. "S'alright, kit."

I broke our hug with a yawn and stretched. Wolverine looked me over, and I cut my stretch short. I'd told Logan I forgave them both, and we'd sort of talked it out, but he hadn't given me a chance to apologize to Wolverine in person. Was he mad at me? Did he still feel guilty?

_'Course I ain't mad at ya, kit._

"Ah'm sorry." I started. "Ah didn't mean to freak out on yah so bad like that. Ah wasn't scared because of yah, Ah was scared because of meh. An' Ah'm really sorry Logan got so mad at yah. It wasn't yeh fault."

I glanced at his face nervously, searching for any sign of anger or disappointment. Things were rocky enough with Logan. I didn't think I could handle it if things weren't okay with me and Wolverine too. But he only heaved a sigh.

"Yeah, kit. It was." He cut me off when I tried to speak. "You'd already learned what you needed to, and I didn't need to embarrass or hurt you like that afterward. I shouldn't have touched your skin without your permission either."

"Oh."

"I don't give a rat's ass about what your skin does. And I'm not scared of it, but you are. That's alright. My human's still afraid of me and our claws. But you're just going to have to learn to deal with it. Until you feel more comfortable though, I'll show your skin the same respect you show my claws." He said.

I didn't know how I could possibly reply to that. I'd gotten used to Logan's gruff silence again and forgotten the way Wolverine would turn my world upside down by telling me exactly how he felt and always finding the right thing to say. He'd done it the first time we'd really talked, when he promised to always take care of me, and I reacted the same way now. I hugged him and hoped he'd understand my actions, because I couldn't force words past the lump in my throat for a long moment.

"Ah like when yah touch meh." I finally mumbled.

_**Phrasing, kid.**_

_Shut up._

I sat back and stared at my hands so I wouldn't have to look at his face. If I did, I'd start blushing again at what I'd said. I hadn't meant it like that. He placed his thumb beneath my chin and lifted my face up so I'd have to look at him.

_I'm needy like that, kit._

_**Fucking attention whore.**_

"Ah mean it. Ah like that yeh not scared, an' Ah likecuddling with yah. It's nice to have a friend." I tried to backpedal with a smile. "It's jus' when Ah get scared, worrying that yah might touch meh and get hurt makes it a lot worse."

He narrowed his eyes. "I don't cuddle."

"Yes yah do."

"I might nuzzle and scent mark you, even pet you, but I do _not_ cuddle." He protested.

I grinned and barely kept from laughing outright. "Yah totally cuddle."

"Kit—"

"But only with meh, an' Ah like it, an' Ah promise Ah won't ever tell anyone." I said, batting my eyelashes and giving him my best look.

"Not a goddamn soul." He finally grumbled.

_**Heh. You cuddle.**_

_At least my toenails ain't pink, bub._

_Ooo, low blow, Wolvie._

I nodded quickly for Wolverine's benefit. "Promise. Are yah gonna teach meh to fight today?"

"Yeah. By the end of the day, you'll know how to throw a punch, disarm a man, and do a backflip." He promised.

I kept nodding along eagerly until he got to the backflip part, and then I pouted at him suspiciously while the Wolvie in my head snickered.

"Really?"

He made a barking sound that might have been laughter. "No. I'm going to teach you how to stand. Get up and get changed."

_Yah big meanie!_

I crossed my arms and pouted at the real Wolverine, but it didn't affect him. He just messed up my hair as I hopped out of bed. I got my clothes for the day together and went in the bathroom. He pounded on the door and told me to skip the shower the moment I turned it on though. He even tried to be nice about it, which was weird. Wolverine might be the one to talk about his feelings, but "the" Wolverine just didn't do polite.

But I followed his order, because even when Wolverine said please it was still an order, to put on my clothes and get in the truck. Which was a little bit funny, because most large men told me to do the opposite. But that was back on the road, before I met him, and it set the Logan and Wolvie in my head to snarling and growling. They hated that my only protection back then had been my skin.

I steered my mind away from that and talked to Wolverine instead, telling him what Logan and I had been doing over the past two months. Mostly a lot of the same, traveling and schoolwork for me and fighting for him. I told him what movies I'd seen recently, and he told me why Logan never went with me. The sounds and lights and people were too much for them, and I could sort of understand. I wouldn't want to go to movies either if I could see in the dark, hear every slurping kiss, and smell each and every...substance...on the floor.

We pulled onto an old dirt road that didn't really even deserve to be called a road. It led up to a clearing in the forest, and I hopped out of the truck without waiting for Wolverine to open my door, already asking questions as he walked around the front of the truck.

"How am Ah bad at standing? What does that have to do with fighting? Why—"

He stopped my questions by slamming my door shut for me and pulling me against his chest. I still had a lot more questions though, but a growl in my ear made me go quiet. I tilted my head to the side, and he gave me an approving growl before he bit my neck. After everything that had happened, I expected him to really clamp down and leave a lasting mark, but he kept it light enough that it only left a bruise because my skin is so pale.

"I can only answer one question at a time, kit." He said, dropping his hold on me.

"Sorry." I nodded with my apology. "Ah'll try to let yah do yeh teaching thing before Ah start spouting off questions."

He looked me over and gave a curt nod back. "Good."

_Why would Ah fall down, Wolvie?_

_Uh...I'm probably gonna push ya. Sorry._

_**Anytime you want to stop kid, all you have to do—**_

_Jus' say the word. Ah know. It's okay, really._

I let Wolverine put me in the center of the clearing, and he backed up a few paces away. I expcted him to get started immediately with whatever, but instead he stood completely still and just stared at me. I tried to meet his gaze, but even though he was my best friend, his golden eyes could get a little intense sometimes. My own eyes kept dropping to other parts of his body anyway, like his shoulders and chest and hips.

For my sketches. Totally, one hundred percent only looking at him for the art. No other reason at all.

_**Down girl. His eyes are up there, kid.**_

"How am I standing?"

I quickly looked back up at his face, so dazed I barely remembered how to process English, and he had to rephrase the question for me.

"How do I look?"

_Don't say sexy, don't say sexy, don't say—_

"Dominant." I blurted out.

At least it wasn't sexy.

"Why?" He asked. "Describe it."

_Uhhh...is sexy still off the table?_ "Yeh leaning backwards. Um, yeh feet are farther apart. Yeh back is straight."

I suddenly felt selfconscious about my own slumped posture and tried to discreetly correct it, but I knew Wolverine saw.

He shifted his body even further back to exaggerate the way he was standing. "I look like I'm leaning back because my weight is on the balls of my feet."

I cautiously did the same, and he looked me over with approval.

"It's easier to stay balanced this way." He explained.

I looked down at my feet to get a better idea of what I was doing, then looked back up at him to find him stalking closer to me, eyes scrutinizing everything he saw.

"Keep your arms loose. Lift your chin. Look at me, not your feet. Put your shoulders back." He came closer with every order he barked and stood in front of me. "You're my Alpha female, and you need to show confidence and strength. You damn well have the power to back it up."

_Alpha female?_

_If we had a real pack, you'd be our favorite, above everyone else._

I still winced thinking about the last part though. "But that's not meh. Ah don't even like mah skin. An' in that fight with May, Ah wanted to run an' get away, not hurt her. Mah instincts are flight, not fight."

"Fake it."

"What?" I asked.

"If you act like prey, predators will hunt you. That's life. So don't act like prey. Just showing people you're not afraid of them will stop most fights, even if you're faking it." He said.

Easy for him to say. He was a predator, so of course he wasn't afraid of anyone.

"But what about in a real fight?"

"Then you can run and come to me." He told me. "But I want you to be able to defend yourself until I get there."

"Okay...so can we move on to advanced standing?" I asked with a grin.

"Whatcha got in mind, kit?" He smirked and crossed his arms.

"Like...balancing on really high sticks over some rapids." I suggested.

_**Hell no.**_

_Not going to happen._

"I will never let you do that."

"But—"

"Hell no." He said, sounding exactly like Logan.

"Ple—"

"You've been watching too many movies, kitling." He said.

I looked at the ground again. "Wax on, wax off."

_**No waxing yourself either! You're too young for that!**_

I blushed up to my ears. _Ohmahgawd sugah, not...that's not even...just hush!_

"So am Ah jus' gonna stand here all day?" I asked, desperate for a subject change.

"No. You're going to stand like this from now on, wherever you go. No more slouching." He declared.

I let out a groan of anguish, swaying from side to side in a miniature tantrum.

_**Um, kid? The fuck was that?**_

"Okay, sorry." I let out a breath with a whoosh. "Ah jus' had to get that out of my system. Ah actually used to have very good posture. Mah mama always made me sit up straight _like a lady, _but Ah threw all that out the door after they threw meh out theirs."

That set Logan and Wolvie off again, but I was actually pretty proud of myself for that clever little play on words. All that stuff was in the past, and they needed to learn not to be so sensitive. If I couldn't joke about it, I may as well give up and go cry.

"Is there anything else yah gonna show meh?" I asked when Wolverine didn't reply.

"How to stay on your feet when someone attacks you. Never let someone pin you beneath them. Nine times out of ten, the fight is over once that happens." He lectured. "And if someone does get you pinned, use your skin. You can deal with the fallout afterward, when you're with me and _still alive_."

I gave him a reluctant nod, and he started up his lecture again.

"I'm going to pretend to attack you. I'll be real careful kit, but you're still going to get knocked down and bruised up." He said.

"Ah'm not stupid, Wolverine. Ah know why yeh doing this, an' Ah know Ah'm gonna feel like sh—crap in the morning." I gave a guilty wince. "Sorry. Logan says Ah'm not allowed to swear."

"You can swear, just don't cuss at us." He said.

I started to ask where he drew the line on that, but he stepped forward and pushed me. Even though my Wolvie had warned me, it still caught me completely off guard, and I fell flat on my ass. He held out his hand to me, and even though he had been the one to push me down, I took it and let him pull me back up.

I gave him an indignant glare. "Ah wasn't ready."

"Always be ready."

He shoved me again, before I could even reply. I flailed my arms and tried to regain my balance, then reached for him, but he stepped away from me and let me fall. I had barely raised up on my elbows when he grabbed the back of my shirt and hauled me up like a kitten by the scruff of its neck.

"You can't reach for me. I'm your attacker." He scolded.

I scrunched up my nose at him but didn't even both trying to reply. I just got back into the stance he'd shown me and watched him carefully for movement.

"Chin up. Feet apart."

I corrected, then glanced back at him. He pushed me. I stumbled backwards but caught myself at the last second. He didn't give me any time to recover and shoved my shoulder, but I still managed to stay upright. He gave me another approving growl, and I couldn't stop the stupid smile that spread across my face. It dropped pretty damn quick when he started circling around me though, looking for all the world like a hungry wolf circling a rabbit. I didn't want to risk messing up my stance by trying to turn with him, so I just trying to crane my head to keep him in sight.

A quick shove caught me between my shoulder blades, and I still wound up on my hands and knees. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I was hypersensitive of the fact that he was standing behind me.

_**If this is getting to be too much, then—**_

_Ah'm good. Ah can do this!_

I chanted that to myself as I stood back up, catching a glimpse of Wolverine off to my side. He moved too damn quietly for someone with so much bulk. His bones were made of freaking metal for crap's sake! You'd think he'd at least creak or something. He hit my arm next, and I stumbled again, my wild motion to regain balance turning me around so that he was behind me again.

_Move, kit!_

I twisted my body to the side just as his hand went past where my back had been. His step forward and my step to the side brought us close enough that the side of my arm almost touched his chest. The top of my head barely cleared his chin. I'd avoided that one "attack" but now I was practically in his arms.

_**Best defense is a good offense!**_

I whipped my hand up, but he caught it before it came anywhere near his face. I might have insider information in my head giving me a slight advantage, but he simply reacted too fast for me to capitalize on any of it. His grip on my wrist was light enough that it wouldn't bruise, but still firm enough to let me know I wasn't going anywhere.

"Don't bother with slaps. I'll teach you how to punch another day." He said.

His patronizing tone only made my victory all the sweeter, coupled with the fact that he hadn't even realized this match went to me.

"Not what I was going for, Wolvie." I told him with a grin.

I waved my fingers at him, and he looked at them with dawning comprehension. But when he didn't say anything, my triumph faded and worry crept in its place. How would Wolverine react to being one upped?

He laughed and hugged me, purring in my ear. I relaxed and started blushing again, damn my fair skin! It wasn't my fault he made me feel all happy and warm. He let go after only a moment, and I was still grinning widely when we stepped apart for round two.

"How are things going with yah an' Logan?" I asked, seeing if I could distract him.

The Wolverine in my head only snorted at that plan, and even I knew the real Wolverine would never fall for it. He was just too good.

"I stay away from his time, and he stays away from mine." He replied as we began to circle each other.

"What finally made him change his mind about the lessons?" I asked, honestly curious now.

"He wanted to do something special for the anniversary of the day we met." He said.

My eyes went wide, my breath caught in my throat, and Wolverine shoved me.

_**Anniversary?**_

_Oh gawddammit!_

"Concentrate. Always be ready."

I made a T with my hands. "Time out."

Wolverine considered for a moment, then nodded. I sprawled back out on the ground and groaned with relief, pain, and frustration. Damn these men for messing with my emotions...and hormones! And I was swearing a lot more now too. Everything was damn this and damn that. I blamed them for that too, goddammit.

"Ah think Ah landed on a rock." I whined.

Wolverine fell for that trap at least and sat down on the ground with me, pulling me into his lap and lavishing me with the attention I required. I was a bad, spoiled little girl, and I loved every second of it.

"Really?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

"No." Wovlerine confirmed. "The human doesn't even know what day of the week it is, and he sure as hell doesn't know today is special."

_**I just ain't good with dates, kid.**_

"How do you know?" I asked him.

"Because I'm not a stupid fuck up."

"Don't be mean. Logan's jus'..." I trailed off.

"A stupid fuck up. He can't remember dates worth shit, he runs away from all his problems, and he's too much of a pussy to really talk to you about his feelings." He ranted.

_**Yeah, fuck you too.**_

_We're in the same body, dumbass._

_Hush!_

"Real men talk about their feelings?" I asked, just to be sure I'd heard him right.

"They're not afraid to speak their mind. But don't worry, kitling. I'll do all that for him. You'll never need anyone else but us." Wolverine promised.

"No." I shook my head. "Ah don't need yah."

I could hear the twin protesting whines in my head, and I knew what I said hurt Wolverine, but it had to get worse before it got better. And he needed to hear this.

"Ah'm not saying Ah'm not grateful or that mah life wouldn't be infinitely harder without yah. But Ah survived for six months on the road by mahself. Hell, if Ah had to, Ah could jus' go to a shelter." I continued.

"Kit—"

"But Ah stayed with yah because Ah wanted a friend, an' yah were a mutant too, an' yah helped meh an were decent to meh when yah didn't have to." I paused and cupped his cheek so he would look at me. "Ah love yah. Ah'm not here because Ah don't have other options. Ah'm here because Ah want to be, an' Ah will always, always love yah."

He reacted a lot like I had, hugging me without saying a word. I understood, and I held him until he felt ready to talk again. He didn't say anything for a really long time though, and I started to worry it wasn't getting any better, and I'd just hurt him.

"Always." I repeated. "Because Ah love yah."

"When you're twenty?" He rasped.

"Ah'll jus' smuggle yah into mah college dorm. Ah'll be the coolest girl on campus an' definitely the most badass. All the sorority girls will be jealous, an' the teachers will be scandalized, an' mah roommate will jus' have to deal with yah sleeping over." I answered.

"Still be mine?" He mumbled.

"Always." I promised once more. "Ah'll smuggle yah into mah nursing home too, when Ah'm eighty. Ah'll be yeh best friend as long as Ah live."

_**Just a couple more decades, kid. That's all the time we got with you. And I can't stand the thought of something hurting and stealing away even that little time.**_

I sucked in a sharp breath. It had honestly never occurred to me that might be the reason Logan was so overproctive. I promised I'd be with them when I was eighty, and I meant it because I really did want to stay with them for as long as I could, but I hadn't really thought about what it would be like to actually be eighty. And Logan would still be "middle aged." But of course Logan knew what it was like to live that long, even if he couldn't consciously remember it. And after everything they'd done for me, if a little bit of friendship was all they asked of me...it might be a lifetime to me, but it might be only a drop in the bucket to him. Giving him my friendship, no matter how brief it might be to him, was the very least I could do.

And it was entirely selfless. I might be capable of surviving on my own, but it caused an almost physical pain whenever I thought of my life without them. In the end, he was the one who would wind up looking after an old woman while he was still physically young.

"And you'll always be the most important thing in the world to us." Wolverine promised after a long moment.

I had to take another deep breath. I could understand him wanting a friend, especially when I knew how lonely they both were, but I couldn't imagine I'd still be _the _most important thing to him when I couldn't even get out of bed. He'd still be passing up on fights and nights out sixty years from now, just to take care of me.

Wolverine stood up and helped me up too, just before I could really start getting emotional and do something stupid like start crying. I fell back into my fighting stance and hoped we could get straight back to the lesson without talking, because my throat was burning. He lifted my chin up and grinned down at me, making it easier for me to give him a shaky smile in return.

"Break's over, kit. I gotta lot more to teach ya."

* * *

**A/N: Longest chapter I've ever written. I decided to cut updates in half so I could write less and then I started making the chapters twice as long. Stupid. But I wanted to get all of this covered in one chapter so we can move on to Logan's birthday present to Marie in the next one!**

**And for everyone who said they didn't mind the length of this (now wildly out of hand) story/novel, thank you so much! It's nice to know you love me and are willing to put up with me for a long time more. HUGS! \(=^-^=)/ **

**On another note, Marie is finally starting to crush on Logan/Wolverine! I'm going to try to do six more chapters covering October, February, June, October, December, and January. So we'll be skipping ahead lots and moving forward really quickly, and by the end of it, Marie will be sixteen and they'll be one their way to the mansion. And since Marie will be aging so quickly (she'll be fifteen next chapter and sixteen in another three), I'm going to try to have lots of fluffy moments to kick up her feelings for Logan from love to _in love_.**

**Coming up next: "Ah don't know how to...Ah've never done this before."**

"**Just relax. I'll tell you what to do."**

"**Ah didn't even know they could look like this! Where do Ah...?"**

"**Wrap your hand around the base."**

"**Like this?"**

"**Jesus Marie, tighter..."**


	28. Only a REAL 90s Kid

**A/N: A bit of a spoiler, but this story has now been upped to an M rating. Be mindful of that as you read.**

* * *

**OCTOBER**

* * *

It's my birthday, but Logan hadn't acknowledged it in any way yet. I hoped he was taking me someplace nice when he told me to get in the truck, but he pulled into the back of a Real Canadian Superstore instead. I tried really hard not to let my disappointment show and tugged my gloves on as Logan opened my door. I got out and started walking, but Logan hung back. When I turned around to see what was up, he threw his keys at me.

They hit the ground with a thud.

_No reflexes whatsoever, kit._

"What'd yah do that for?" I asked.

"You were supposed to catch them..." Logan grumbled.

I mimicked his tone and picked them up. "A warning woulda been nice."

"You're learning how to drive today." He said when I offered them back to him.

I started to grin, then gave his truck a nervous look. "But what if Ah hurt yah baby?"

"You're my baby." He said.

I thought I could see a slight blush beneath his muttonchops, and I mentally awwww'ed. I didn't think he realized exactly what he was promising though.

_**Didn't we tell you you're the most important thing in the world to us, kid?**_

_Uh...no. Wolvie said that._

_HAH!_

_**Well I meant it too!**_

I grinned at their antics and hugged the real Logan. He squeezed me back and stroked my hair.

"I'll rent us a cabin for the next two months or so, and you can take a driver's ed course. But first, I'm gonna teach you to drive a stick." He said.

I raised my head. "Then Ah can get mah license when Ah'm sixteen, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but we'll worry about that next year."

I hugged him again, but he didn't return it. When I looked back up, he was staring off into space. I gave him a moment, then called his name. He blinked and gave me a halfhearted grin. I hoped he wasn't freaking out about me growing up.

"Hop in, kid."

I squeezed him again to reassure him, and he walked me over to the driver's side. He opened the door for me and kept it open, poking his head into the cab to watch me. The afternoon sun shone behind him, almost casting him into silhouette, so that all I could see was the outline of his body and his caramel hazel eyes.

_**Since when do you describe my eyes with food?**_

_Uh...since Ah noticed how yummy they are...?_

A deep, masculine chuckle snapped me back to the real world, although it didn't really distract me from my one track thoughts.

"You're not gonna need that right now, but A for safety, kid. You don't get to start the truck until you show me you know how to shift."

I realized I had automatically buckled my seatbelt when I got in, and I put the keys in the cup holder with a distracted nod.

"Yeah, okay."

Thank God for that. I was in no condition to drive when Logan was being so damn distracting.

_Ya need to fan yerself, kitling?_

But that only brought on images of me fanning myself and drinking iced tea on the front porch of an antebellum mansion while Logan did some sort of landscaping that required him to work with his shirt off.

"...is the clutch." Logan said.

_Wait, fuck, no! Logan, what'd yah say?_

_**Should've paid attention, kid.**_

_Sugah, please?_

Apparently, The Look worked even in my mind because he relented.

_**Clutch is important. Has a lotta gears, and you can't shift into any of them—**_

"-without hitting the clutch."

_Thank yah!_

Real-Logan showed me where the clutch was, and my worry about being caught drooling over him diminished, although I was still a bit nervous about learning to drive.

"At the same time you hit the clutch, you also gotta brake and shift your gear. I know it's a lot to think about, but you need to get the timing down or the engine will stall and the gears will grind." Logan continued explaining.

I swallowed hard. "An' the transmission will blow, an' Ah'll lose control of the truck, an' we'll careen off a bridge into a lake, an' we'll both drown in the freezing water. Right. No pressure."

"Breathe, kid. Stick is hard. Everybody fucks it up at first."

_Bet ya could get our stick hard..._

_Not helping!_

I looked back at Logan, and he had that faraway look in his eyes again. He snapped out of it a split second later though, and I had the suspicion his Wolverine had said something similar, so I quickly changed the subject.

"So I need to use my left foot for the clutch, and my right foot for the gas _and _brake?" I asked.

"Yes. Pretend like you're driving and try it out." He ordered.

I looked around the cab of the truck. It looked so much different from the driver's seat. Shit, where was the clutch again? I couldn't do this. Why did I think I could do this?

I bit my lip. "Ah don't know how to...Ah've never done this before."

"Just relax. I'll tell you what to do." Logan soothed.

"Ah didn't even know they could look like this!"

Logan wasn't kidding when he said it had a lot of gears. And did I grab the gearshift by the top like the guys in the movies or go for a firmer grip around the bottom?

"Where do Ah...?"

"Wrap your hand around the base."

Oh, okay. I could do that. "Like this?"

Logan scoffed. "Jesus Marie, tighter..."

_Don't forget to rub the head. Heh._

_Ohmahgawd, Wolvie! Can yah jus' quit perving for five minutes? Logan an' Ah are trying to have a serious conversation!_

I stole a quick glance at Logan to make sure he hadn't noticed me blushing or anything, but he stared at me and I realized I must have said that out loud.

"Ah'm so sorry!" I apologized. "He jus' says things like that sometimes."

_Jest a bit of humor..._

Logan ducked his head. "You don't have to apologize for his shit, kid."

Raunchy as it was, his smartass comment was a little funny though. And if anyone couldn't resist being a smartass, it was me.

"Jerk it, twist it, turn it, bop it..." I mumbled.

Logan's eyes went wide. "What?"

_Heh. Nice one._

_**Don't egg the pervert on, kid.**_

I ignored them both and grinned. "It's an old toy from the nineties. It had all these lights and buttons and knobs, and you had to do certain actions in a specific order."

"...don't ever do that to a man's penis." Logan muttered. Then he paused, thought about it, and growled, "Actually, if a man ever shows you his penis, tell me and I'll cut it off for you."

I laughed. "Glad to see you're adjusting so well to me growing up."

He whined again, but I just grinned.

"So now that we have that out of our system...I just shift gears like this?" I asked, pulling the gear shift back.

Logan snorted a bit and placed his hand over mine, helping me move it back to the slot marked with a faded number one.

"You won't be going over second gear today." He replied.

He helped me practice shifting more until I felt confident I could do it on my own. Just moving the gear shift wasn't that hard, as long as I paid attention and didn't let it slip half way into another gear. Then Logan told me to try it with the brake and clutch too. I swallowed hard, breathed deep, and hit both while pretend shifting from first to second.

Logan nodded a bit. "Okay, now press on the gas and pretend to drive until I tell you to shift."

I gripped the steering wheel and imagined driving. Logan didn't say anything, and I smiled softly, remembering how I used to climb into the front seat and pretend to drive when my mom went into the store. The steering wheel in her car locked when the engine was turned off though, so I could never twist it more than a few inches. But I didn't know that, and I just thought all grownups were incredibly strong. I tested this one. It turned fully to the left and right. I smiled wider and twisted it back and forth, humming to imitate the engine.

_**So cute...**_

I looked up at Logan, for a second thinking he had been the one to say it. He was smirking though, and he raised an eyebrow at me when we made eye contact.

"Um...I mean...I'm adult...?" I halfheartedly tried to convince him.

_Now who's the pervert?_

He smirked wider. "Sure...shift."

I got the clutch and brake thing at the same time right, but I almost forgot about the actual gear shift part, and I had to glance down at it to make sure I shifted into the right gear. I placed my hand back on the two'o'clock position and kept driving, and Logan didn't say anything. I almost started to worry about his silence when he told me to shift again. This time I was so nervous, I hit the gas by accident instead of the clutch. I thanked God again Logan hadn't let me start the truck. I think I started to get a little better at it though, enough that Logan announced I could start driving for real after only about an hour.

He got in the passenger's side, and it was really weird seeing him on that side. When he told me to start the truck, I almost started hyperventilating. And sure enough, when I tried to shift into first and go, I forgot to depress the clutch. The engine screeched, and the truck jerked back and forth. I saw Logan grip the door handle out of the corner of my eye.

I winced. "Sorry."

He breathed out slowly through his nose. "S'okay kid."

_**Just relax.**_

_Unclench, kit._

I tried to shift twice more, but I just made it worse each time. Doing it while sitting still was easy, but trying to make sure I wasn't going near any of the parked cars and hearing the engine yell at me each time I messed up just really stressed me out. On my second try, I hit the gas too hard again and almost drove into the side of a parked truck.

A man ran up beside it and started yelling at me. "Hey, you stupid bitch! Why don't you watch the road with your eyes and not your cunt before you—"

Logan stepped out of our truck.

"—hit a bad patch of ice." The man changed his tune immediately. "Drive safe now, eh?"

I crawled over into the passenger's seat. It was still warm from Logan's body heat, and I curled up into a ball. I already knew I was doing a shit-tastic job. I didn't need to hear someone screaming at me.

_Don't worry kitling, we'll fuck him up fer ya!_

_**No you asshole, she needs comfort! She's more important than beating on him.**_

I silently agreed with Logan and hoped the real-Logan would think so too. I felt really bad about my inability to drive, and all I wanted was to be cuddled and lavished with affection. Logan got into the driver's side and pulled me into his lap. I was so spoiled, but I couldn't quite feel guilty about it.

"Relax, kid. Everyone sucks at first." He reassured me. "Want me to go break his arm?"

I couldn't stop myself from grabbing his jacket. "No, don't...go."

_**Told you so, mutt!**_

"Ah'm sorry..." I mumbled. "Ah jus' don't wanna hurt yeh truck an'-"

"I don't give a fuck about the goddamn truck. I just want you to be happy on your birthday, so if there's something else you want..." He ducked his head again, looking adorably shy. "I'm not good at this gift giving thing, kid."

"No, yeh wonderful!" I gushed. "Ah know how much it means that yeh helping me learn to drive. Yeh gifts are always really thoughtful."

_Ya wanna throw him a damn parade too?_

_**Don't be jealous because she loves me best.**_

_Stop it, both of yah! Ah love yah both the same. Wolvie, yah say sweet things. Logan, yah do sweet things. Yeh balance each other out._

"Uh...right." Real-Logan muttered. "How about we get some groceries for the cabin?"

I could tell the compliment made him uncomfortable, and I wanted to do something so I could forget about the last twenty minutes, so I nodded.

"Yeah."

* * *

"Come on, Anna."

I resist the urge to correct him. I prefer my second first name, but if a senior boy wants to call me Anna, he can call me Anna-banana-fontana as far as I care. I follow him up the stairs, gripping my English textbook so tightly I can't feel my fingers. I glance over and his dad gives me a wink from the kitchen doorway. He can probably see how nervous I am.

I try to stay cool. Walking along the hallway. To his room. His room. That's where his desk and books were. Makes sense. It makes perfect sense. Why am I so nervous? Heather will be so jealous when she hears. Try to give me that sneer again. I may not be a cheerleader, but I'm getting to hang out with Cody Johnson.

In his room.

He pulls out the chair at his desk and sits down. I stand awkwardly beside the desk. He looks up at me, glances around the room, and then laughs.

His teeth are perfect.

"Sorry. I guess I didn't think this through. Here, we can sit on the bed."

He moves over and lounges on the bed like it's his own. Because it is. It's his bed. I'm sitting on Cody Johnson's bed. Heather can suck an egg. I should say something. Clever. A compliment. Have my babies. Wait, what? NO! Don't say that!

"So on page 404—"

Oh thank God he said something. I can't listen. Watching his lips move. Look down and stare at the page so he doesn't notice me staring. He leans closer, over my shoulder to point out a paragraph. I suck in a sharp breath and bite my lip.

"Fuck, that's hot."

What? His hand grips my waist. No one male has ever grabbed me like this, but maybe it's good because I'm so lightheaded I think I might fall off the bed. I turn my head and try to ask a question. I see condoms lying on the windowsill out of the corner of my eye.

Why does he have condoms?

Our lips meet and his teeth hit mine. I hear a car starting in the garage below. Why is his dad leaving? The door he left open for propriety doesn't seem to matter now. Where do my hands go? Why is his tongue in my mouth? Did he just reach for the condoms?

I make a muffled sound, and he groans back, but that wasn't what I meant. I push on his arm, then his chest, but he doesn't let go. His hand grabs the collar of my shirt and yanks it down. Why? Was I his girlfriend now? Shouldn't he ask if this is okay? I don't think it is, but I can't pull away to tell him. If I tell him, he'll stop. I know he'll stop. I just need to say no. Girls are supposed to say no. All I need is a second. Doesn't he need to breathe? I'm dizzy. Just stop for a second.

Please.

He falls off the bed. I gasp for air. My head hurts. Is he talking? I think I can hear his voice. He sounds angry. Why is he mad at me? Why isn't he getting up? I drop to my knees beside him. He's choking, but I don't know why. Maybe he had some gum and swallowed it. I touch his throat. His back arches up. My head pounds.

**What did you do to me, you freak?! This was just a dare! Heather said it was just a joke!**

I can hear his voice, but his lips aren't moving. He's not moving at all. I crawl away from him and curl up in the corner. What's happening? Did I hurt him? I didn't mean to. I shouldn't have came into his room. My mother warned me about what happened to girls who were promiscuous.

My eyes are shut tight, but I can hear someone walk up to where I'm hiding. No. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. He crouches down next to me. Don't hurt me. Don't touch me. Don't look at me. He doesn't do anything else, just stays hovering over me, trapping me into the corner of the wall. I shudder and breathe. He isn't touching me. Not hurting. I crack an eye open.

Logan braces his arms on either side of me. He's not trapping me, he's protecting me. Anything that wants to get close to me has to go through him first. Wolverine trots up behind him. There's blood on his muzzle. Cody's voice is quiet. The other voices rattle inside me though. Logan glances behind him, and they share a look.

"Nothin's gonna hurt ya, kitling."

He bounds off, howling for the hunt. The other voices waver and quiet nervously. Logan stays. I reach for him. I want his touch. He touches me nice. Not scary. He pulls me into his lap and holds me. I'm not afraid, and he's not afraid of me. I don't want to be in this room anymore. In the cabin now, the bed. Warm and comfortable. Safe.

I twist around and press myself down into the mattress. Logan wraps his arms back around me and spoons me. I'm still shaky, and I don't really want him to see me right now. But I don't want to be alone. I just want...he nuzzles my hair. I breathe a sigh of relief and stretch my neck out. It still has Wolverine's bite mark on it and his dog tags. No one will dare touch me with their mark on me.

He pulls me closer, and it feels so good to be held. No one held me after...just a lot of angry questions and a silent car ride back home. But his arms are warm and strong. I relax into him and let his touch soothe away the memories of accusing eyes and one hour to pack a bag.

His hands rub my sides and stomach, and I moan. His touch is good. I bury my face against the sheets in embarrassment. I hadn't meant to moan like that. Will he call me a slut too? But he just makes a soft growl and presses closer, raising his hand higher. His fingers just barely touch my breasts. I didn't know they could be so sensitive. Even through my pajama top, it feels good. The fabric drags across my nipples, as I twist and whimper, trying to get him to give me more of that goodness. The backs of my thighs press against something hard and even warmer than his hands.

But he keeps his hand where it is.

"Feels good." I plead. "Please make it feel good."

I feel fragile, like glass that has already cracked and is just waiting to shatter. His touch is the only thing holding me together, making all the badness go away. But he moves away, letting me go, leaving. I turn around, on my knees, begging.

"Please! Don't go, please...make meh okay..." I sob.

He growls and strides back to the bed. When he turns me back over and presses against me from behind again, I willingly move with him, clutching his arm as it covers my torso again.

"Sorry." He mutters. "I gotcha, kid."

I don't know what I want, but I want it now. He gives it to me, gripping my waist and burning away Cody's touch. His hand slides beneath my top and cups my breast. I gasp and arch into it. His hand is so warm. When he flicks a thumb over my nipple, I toss my head to the side and squirm in his grip.

I whimper. "Yes, that!"

He moves his hand over and does the same to my other nipple, and I'm melting. I'm melting down, and I don't know if there will be anything left when he's done. No one has ever touched me like this. Touch has always been wrong and bad and painful. But this is good, so good it can't possibly get any better.

Logan chuckles. "I'm gonna make you feel a lot better than this."

I can't imagine it, but I try to move my hips. In between my legs is where all the heat is, the throbbing that's making it hard to think. His heat is hard and thick, and it makes my insides flutter, but I don't know what to do. He does it for me, lifting my leg up over his own and sliding his heat against mine. I didn't know that was what I wanted, but it feels so right. I think I'm moaning again now, but I can't even care. Logan doesn't seem to mind and he pants on my neck. His hands show my hips how to move, and he groans loudly when I figure it out.

"Just like that, darling."

Darling is way better than kid. He makes a growl or a snarl every time I meet the thrust of his hips, and it makes my head spin again, but in a good way this time. Am I doing that to him? Is he enjoying this as much as I am? He can't possibly. It feels so good it's almost scary. I think I might die, but I'm damn well going to die happy, so I grind my hips down harder.

"Gonna take care of you."

That makes me feel better about dying. Logan won't let me die or leave again. I feel so good, but I need something to happen. Logan will know what it is, and he'll give it to me. Logan gives me anything I want.

And I want this bad.

The way he's thrusting suddenly changes, and then the fabric of my panties are rubbing against something I'd hardly dared to touch myself. I should start though, because it's the most amazing feeling I've ever felt in my entire life. It's better than chocolate. I'm making noises I don't even know how to describe, and there's a heat spreading through my legs. It all happens at once, and I can't even breathe past how good this feels, how high I'm flying.

"That's it, little girl." He rasps. "So close."

Logan knows what he's doing and goes even faster, driving me higher until I break and shatter and whimper and sob and I don't even know what I'm doing anymore it just feels so goddamn good.

"That's right Marie, you fucking come for me."

The snarled words make me shudder and want more. It's not stopping. Logan doesn't let it stop, barely even lets it slow until I'm sure I'll die anyway. Finally, _finally_, it ends with little jolts and waves, but he's still touching me, running his hands all over me like I'm something precious and not deadly.

"Good little girl, my darling, you're so good."

Logan thinks I'm good. Everything is okay. I'm safe. I'm tired. Weightless. Floating. But then he pulls away again, and I give a small whine. My throat is too raw for anything else. When I finally manged to open my eyes, Wolverine is back and Logan is gone. I reach for my Wolvie, and he lets me clutch him. His fur is soft and just as warm as Logan. He licks my face until I let out a breathless giggle.

"My turn." He growls.

When I open my eyes again, he looks like Logan, but I know he's not. His eyes are golden, and his hair is wilder. He's only taken a human body for me. He pushes me back down and covers my body with his, knees on either side of my hips, and forearms braced above my shoulders.

"Want more, kitling?"

He grabs the inside of my knee and raises my leg up so he can push his hips closer. I'm panting again, and I turn my face to the side, exposing my neck. He growls and rewards me by lapping at his mark. I didn't know it was possible, but I'm already feeling warm and needy again.

"I'm here t'give ya whatever ya need." He promises.

A loud roar cuts off my reply, and my head spins as everything changes.

* * *

But everything was still the same too. I opened my eyes to see the cabin, the bed, Logan. I sat up and reached for him. He had screamed, and he only did that after a nightmare. What had I been dreaming about? Something important...

_Goddamn cockblocking son of a motherfucking bitch!_

_**Don't be jealous.**_

The Logan in my head sounded really smug, and my Wolvie stalked off with a snarl. I would fix it later. I needed to take care of the real Logan first.

"S'alrah-ght, sugah."

He let out a shaky breath, and I stroked his arm, making sleepy soothing noises. He never said so, and Wolverine flat out tried to deny it, but he liked to be cuddled after a bad nightmare. I moved closer, raising up on my knees to crawl into his lap, but an odd feeling between my legs made me pause. My thighs were damp, soaked really, and I could still feel tingles coming from my—

My dream came back full force, and I suddenly remembered exactly what Logan and I had been doing and why Wolvie was so upset. I blushed and prayed that not even Logan could see in the dark well enough to notice.

"A-Are yah okay?"

My voice only stuttered a little, and I was damn proud of myself for that considering the circumstances. The circumstances being I had just had a wet dream about my best friend while sharing a bed with him. And he had super senses, so he probably noticed...unless he was too caught up in his nightmare.

"Yeah, just a little..." He ducked his head and slid his claws in. "I didn't touch ya or nuthin', did I?"

What? No...nooooo. You didn't touch me at all. Didn't fondle my boobs and grind against me from behind until I came so hard I think I might have died for a second and been reborn. Nope. No, sir.

"No! Not—Ah...Ah gotta to to the bathroom real bad..."

To clean up all the wetness between my thighs before I leak a small lake over here.

"Yeah."

I almost whimpered again with relief when he agreed.

"I need a few minutes to calm down anyway."

Me too, sugar. I got out of bed slowly, trying not to open my legs too much. My thighs rubbed against each other, making me want to wince. Each step sent another jolt through me, until I was inside the bathroom. I wanted to take a shower.

_**Was it that bad, kid?**_

I almost let a hysterical giggle slip out from the absurdity of that question.

_That good. That was...ohmahgawd—Ah...ohmahgawd-DAMN, hallelujah!_

I slapped my hand over my mouth and hoped Logan couldn't hear my giggles. I hadn't felt this religious in...ever. Logan should be the main attraction of church revivals. Have all the young girls screaming Jesus in no time.

_Oh, wait! Sugah, yah don't feel like...Ah didn't..._

_**What?**_

I didn't want Logan to feel like I was only keeping him in my head for that or he had to do that for me since it was my mind.

_...like Ah molested yah?_

_**No, not—Hell no! ...do you feel...?**_

_Sugah, Ah feel great. That's jus' probably not something we should...evah..._

_**Yeah. No. We shouldn't...**_

I nodded and the Logan in my head cleared his throat. What with the real Logan's super senses and us being best friends and all...plus the fact that the Logan in my head was _imaginary_. No, keeping him as my mental sex slave would be all kinds of wrong, so we would just never speak of this again, and the real Logan didn't ever need to know.

Ever.

* * *

**A/N: And ya'll motherfuckers thought there wasn't going to be smut! You were all like, it's not going to happen, see it's just the gear shift, there's no—BAM! SMUT, MY LOVELY BITCHES!**

***screams in bloody triumph***

**Sorry, got a little overexcited there. The only person who's been more impatient for them to get it on than all of you is me. I even managed to sneak in a cameo of Victor! *le swoon* So yeah, things are finally bloody happening! I'm sorry I didn't give you guys any warning for this, mostly because I didn't expect it to happen either. I was perfectly fine with just teasing you with the gear shift thing, but then I realized the chapter was WAY too short and needed another scene. This one just so happened to fit in perfectly, and it's a great build up to the next chapter, where things get even better!**

**When I said things are happening, I mean they're FUCKING HAPPENING, YOU GUYS! I'm going to skip over Christmas/December though, if that's okay with you guys. One Christmas special is fluffy enough, thanks. And I want to get straight to February.**

**Quickly though, a reminder that this story IS NOW M RATED, along with The Big Bad Wolf. So if you were reading this story because "it's the clean one" you may want to broaden your horizons. Really though, I hope no one minds the change and you all keep reading!**

**Coming up next: It's Valentine's Day, and Cupid holds back no shenanigans! Marie masturbates, Wolverine helps, and Logan develops a debilitating pizza fetish...**


	29. Be My Sex Slave

**FEBRUARY**

* * *

Four months, one Christmas road trip to Alaska, and several masturbatory experiences later, it was nearly Valentine's Day. But I was pretty sure Logan didn't do Valentine's Day at all, so I kept my celebration to myself.

It consisted of truffles and sleazy romance novels.

_C'mon kit, it's Valentine's Day._

_That's tomorrow._

_And it ain't like yer gettin' it done yerself..._

I opened my eyes and glared at the ceiling.

_Ah would if yah would stop distracting meh!_

_I'm jest trynta help._

I sighed. He was right about me not getting it done. My brain just wouldn't slow down, and I kept getting offtrack. It was really hard to masturbate with voices in my head too, especially ones that wouldn't shut up. And Wolvie never had stopped bitching about getting "his turn."

_If ya don't wanna, I'll go. But if ya need a little relief there...I'm here for ya, kit._

In my head, he gave me big puppy dog eyes, like any good friend would offer to help their friend masturbate. I rolled my eyes and glared at the ceiling some more. I had to admit, I did want to see how my dream would have ended with him, if Logan hadn't woken me up with his nightmare. Maybe it would be best if we got it out of our systems like Logan and I had.

_Alrah-ght, watcha got? _I asked Wolvie, trying to sound more confident than I was.

Wolverine made a growling chuckle sound that made me shiver. I closed my eyes and met him in my mind. He had a human body again, which I only knew because he was breathing on my neck. I moved my head to the side, but resisted the impulse to make any other movement.

He closed his mouth over his bite mark, but didn't bite down. I stayed still, aside from a whimper I couldn't help. He bit down harder, slowly increasing the pressure. Just before he broke the skin though, he let go and lapped at the bruise. His tongue felt warm and raspy, causing me to whimper for a second time. He growled and did it again, and I felt his arms wrap around me. My back hit his chest, and I dimly realized my knees had given out.

"Easy, kitling. I gotcha." He purred.

His hands slid over my hips and hooked the inside of my thighs, dragging me up his chest so he didn't have to stoop anymore. My toes barely touched the ground, and his hips ground against my ass. I whined and gripped his arms.

"Bed." I gasped. "We need a bed."

The forest disappeared, replaced by the cabin where we had stayed several months ago. Wolvie pushed me down so that I was bent over the bed at the waist with my cheek pressed against the mattress. He leaned over me and buried his hand in my hair, his thumb brushing over my cheek much more gently than he had been moments before.

"Better?"

I pushed up on my elbows and twisted around. He didn't look very happy about that, but then I took my shirt off. The very next second, I realized what I'd just done and tried to clutch it back to my chest. I was a good little girl from a small town—what the hell possessed me to take my shirt off?! Maybe because Logan and Wolverine both had already seen me naked and this wasn't real anyway.

"Don't." He pulled my shirt away, and his golden eyes flashed. "Mine."

I blushed from my neck to my ears. Wolverine had told me I was his before, his packmate, his best friend, sometimes if guys at the bars would look at me too close, he would snarl out that I was _his girl._ But this felt like it meant...more. Wolvie leaned forward and rubbed his cheek against mine, and I relaxed. He gripped my waist with one hand and stroked my hair again with the other. I placed my hands on his shoulders and gathered my courage.

"Can yah take off—"

He pushed back and tore off his shirt before I could even finish. Okay then. That was easy. I wanted to stare at him in all his bare chested glory until my brain dripped out my ears, but he bent over, bracing one hand on the bed. His face pressed close to mine, close enough that we were breathing the same air.

I raised a hand to put it on his shoulder again, but he pulled it up higher with his free hand and drug it through his hair. I scraped my nails along his scalp just behind his ear, and he closed his eyes with a growl. His mouth hung open slightly as he panted, and his brows furrowed. I never knew I was capable of causing a man to make that expression.

I wanted more, so I tugged his hair harder, and he rewarded me with a harsh snarl. I whimpered in reply and wanted to do it again, but he covered my body with his, pressing me back down. He yanked my leg up so I could wrap it around his waist, and his hips fit more snugly in between my legs. He held himself over me for a brief moment and raked his gaze over my body.

He let out a low growl. "Beautiful."

I didn't have time to stammer anything else out or even blush because he attacked my neck with his lips and tongue and teeth, and my mind finally went blank. I arched up, offering as much skin to his mouth as I could. He left marks from my neck to my shoulder to my collarbone, then licked at the hollow of my throat. I threw my head back, submitting entirely, and he gave a particularly hard thrust. I tried to follow his rhythm, and his hand on my hip guided me until we were both panting for breath.

Then he moved his head lower and gave my nipple a quick lick, and I would have levitated off the bed if he hadn't been on top of me. He lapped at my nipple and the skin around it, sometimes nipping softly before soothing the sting with his tongue all over again. I yanked on his hair to get him to look up, and he growled like he thought I was trying to make him stop. But I whined and twisted my shoulders, pushing my other neglected breast at him.

He smirked and gave me a cocky wink before he bent his head back down and gave it a long swipe with the flat of his tongue. Between his hips grinding against my clit and his tongue on my nipple, I thought I might cry.

"Please!" I begged.

His only response was to snarl again and flip me over. I landed on my stomach with a huff, and he kicked my feet apart before connecting our hips again. I could feel him thrusting between my legs, but the angle wasn't quite right anymore. I whined and wiggled, trying to get that glorious friction. He grabbed my wrist and shoved my hand beneath my stomach. I got the idea and moved further down, slipping my fingers beneath my soaked panties. He kept thrusting, the hot length of him throbbing against my core though my pajama bottoms. I rubbed myself beneath my panties, and I could hear myself making noises I'd probably be ashamed of when we finished, but I couldn't care less at the moment.

Wolvie bent over me again, sliding a hand beneath me to roll one of my nipples between his fingers. I didn't know whether to press my body back against his hips or forward into his hand, but I was so close it didn't matter. He finished me with a wordless snarl in my ear, the vibrations from his chest seeming to jolt straight to my clit as I came.

The world spun as I floated back down, gasping for air. Wolvie purred in my ear, still pressed up close behind me. He let me turn around and reach up for him, wrapping my arms around his neck. I hid my face against his shoulder though, still a little embarrassed about doing that with him. He didn't seem to mind and nuzzled my hair, but before I could raise my head and thank him, a hand yanked him back.

"Turn's over, bub." Logan growled.

Wolvie shook him off with a snarl and turned back to grin at me. "So who—"

"Don't yah start." I warned. "This is not a competition."

"She's jest trynta spare yer feelin's." Wolvie sneered at Logan.

"Shut the fu—"

I closed my eyes, then opened them again to find myself back in the hotel room. I still had my shirt on, but my hand was down my pajama bottoms. I snatched it back out and looked around for some tissues to wipe up with. A box sat on the small table, way across the room. Waaaaaay across the room. No way. I didn't even feel like getting up, much less walking. I just wanted to eat something and go to sleep. I bet I would have a real nice sleep after that.

—_**made her come faster—**_

_Like hell ya did! I made her—_

For lack of better options, I stuck my finger in my mouth. Logan and Wolvie both stopped arguing with a "huerk" sound, and I swear Wolvie started panting.

_What?_

_**Wha—don't you **_**what ****_me, kid! You...with your...fuck. C'mon._**

_No—fuck no! I wanna—jest two more—ya goddamn killjoy!_

Mental-Logan dragged off Wolvie into the back of my mind, and I shrugged. I was sleepy, and some peace and quiet would be nice for a change. Not that I didn't appreciate Wolvie's...ahem...help.

_**Fuckin' jailbait.**_

_What'd yah call meh?!_

But they were already gone. I sucked on my finger and fumed at the ceiling. It wasn't like I was deliberately trying to provoke either of them. Hell, Wolvie had goddamn insisted. They were just perverts.

My finger made a wet popping sound as I took it out, and I winced. Okay, maybe the finger thing _had_ been a little provocative, but I was just being lazy, not...seductive. And anyway, how tempting could I be with bedhead and wearing sweats?

I sighed and shook it off, reaching for the phone on the nightstand. I asked the lady at the front desk where the nearest pizza place was, and she gave me their number. I called and ordered a large meat lovers. Real-Logan would be back soon, so I hoped they hurried. My brilliant solution to covering up the scent of me masturbating was to order pizza. So far, it had worked flawlessly, and I felt just as boneless as I had after the dream with Logan, so I decided to forgo the shower and take a nap.

* * *

A knock at the door woke me up, and it took me a moment to remember that I had ordered pizza. Thank God it had gotten here before Logan. I grabbed the food money Logan always left me in case I got hungry, looked down to make sure Wolvie hadn't subliminally talked me into removing all my clothes, and answered the door. I paid for the pizza and tipped, then carried the box back to the bed with a yawn. My stomach added its own input by growling. I'd eat what I wanted and leave the rest for Logan when he got back. Halfway through the first slice, the door slammed open and he walked in, slamming it shut again. That man would never learn how to open and close a door politely.

"Hey ki—"

A loud gurgle cut him off. He must be just as hungry as I was. Apparently, cage fighting and masturbating both took a lot out of you. I held out a slice to him, and he grabbed it eagerly. I kept eating while he sat down on the edge of the bed next to me and tried to take his boots off with one hand and eat with the other. Finally he got them both off and started scarfing the slice in earnest. I looked down at the box to choose which one I wanted next, but a familiar "huerk" sound drew my attention back to Logan.

For a second, I thought he had choked on a piece of hamburger meat or something. Then we locked eyes, and I realized he had taken a bite of the part I had touched. He looked me over, flared his nostrils, and his eyes widened. He had taken a bite of the part I had touched. The part I had touched. With my hand. Bare hand. Fingers that I hadn't washed after...

"MEEP!"

I didn't even know I could make that sound, but I didn't stop to dwell on what exactly the ultimate sound of embarrassment actually sounded like. I practically flew off the bed and into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. I hit the tiny stupid little button on the knob that would lock the door, like that would do anything at all to stop Logan if he really wanted in because he knew he knew he knew he—

_**Kid?**_

I hit the floor and curled up in a ball. He knew. He knew. Logan knew that I had—

_Calm down kit, everyone does it._

_Not everyone hands their best friend a pizza slice with—oh Gawd, ohmahgawd, he—_

I let out a choked sob and curled up tighter. How could I look at him after this? How could I be so incredibly stupid?! What if he thought I was a pervert? Oh Jesus fucking Christ, what if he knew about the dream too and he'd just faked the whole nightmare thing and he already knew I was a pervert and he just didn't know how to get rid of me—

_**MARIE!**_

I flinched and stopped.

_**I will NEVER get rid of you, and I don't want to ever hear you say that shit again, understand?**_

"Kid?"

_**See, there I am.**_

"No!"

_Well maybe Ah don't want to talk to yah!_

"Dammit, Marie. Don't do this again."

I flinched at that. I still remembered how hurt he had looked the entire time during my last fit, and I didn't ever want to hurt him like that again. But I _would not_ be having some sort of weird "sex talk" with him.

"...do we hafta talk about this? Can't Ah jus' get amnesia and forget the last fifteen years?" I reasoned.

"You only got fifteen years."

"Exactly!" I shouted.

I forgot who I was and punched the side of the bathtub. Ow. Bad hurt. My knuckles weren't metal. I was just pissed at myself for doing something so stupid. I wanted to forget I was ever born. Logan had probably been out having sex with some woman who had big tits and high heels and actually knew what to do with a man, instead of having pathetic imaginary dry humping sex with her fake boyfriend.

_So I'm yer fake boyfriend now?_

_Shut up. Please._

_**Now you mad her sad, asshole.**_

"Marie, if you hurt yourself, I will break this fucking door down and—"

"No, no, no! Ah..." A flash of inspiration hit me. "Ah wanna talk to Wolvie."

"Him?"

"Yeah."

_See, she wants me._

_No, Ah want to be left alone so Ah can die of embarrassment in peace._

_Aw, kit. It ain't that bad._

"Kitling?"

"Wolvie." I answered in a monotone.

I refused to say anything else, even though I knew he was waiting. And Wolverine wasn't exactly the most patient person...wolf.

"You going to talk, kit?"

I shook my head, even though he couldn't see me. "No, Ah lied."

"Why?" He asked, his voice tight.

"Ah jus' wanted Logan to go away, an' Ah knew he wasn't gonna really leave, so Ah asked for yah." I explained. "But Ah don't wanna talk about it. Evah."

"What's so bad about it?" Wolverine asked from the other side of the door.

I couldn't even think of how to explain how bad it was. "Ah—yah...wh-wha...no!"

"Are you embarrassed because the human knows you masturbate?"

I threw the stupid wrapped up bar of complimentary soap at the door. Screw him. He was big and bad and beautiful, and he probably didn't have a single clue what it was like to do something stupid and be this embarrassed.

"Shut up!"

"Because he does it too. Everyone does it, kit."

I stared at the tiled floor and sulked. Not everyone thought of their supposed "best friend" when they did it though. Logan definitely didn't think of me. I wondered what Wolverine thought of. Did he think of humans? My Wolvie was certainly attracted to human females, but maybe that was just because he was in my head. Maybe he only liked me because it was my mind, and I'd projected my crush onto him.

"...even yah?" I asked before I thought better of it.

_So ya have a crush._

The real Wolverine answered my question before I could reply. "When exactly would I have time for that?"

I gasped and lost all sense of decency. "Logan doesn't let yah **masturbate**? Ohmahgawd Wolvie, yah have **rights**!"

_**Oh, now you want to talk about masturbating?**_

_It's not fair! Does he even get to have sex? Is he...is Wolverine **celibate**?! Wolvie?_

_...let's go back to not talking, huh?_

God. Maybe _that _was why he immediately started flirting with me the moment I showed any interest. Poor Wolvie, locked up in Logan's head. I knew he didn't get any company, but I hadn't thought about him not getting any of that sort of company too. That wasn't just lonely, it was...sad.

"—no such thing as the right to masturbate." Wolverine was saying.

"...the pursuit of happiness. Yah even get to masturbate in prison." I replied. "Well, obviously. Ah kinda guess that's all yah would do."

"Is that what you've been doing when you order pizza?"

I spluttered. "No! Ah—it's not like—not every single...yeah."

"Why don't you want to talk about it?"

"It's embarrassing!" I snapped. "Yah both probably think Ah'm stupid or a pervert or something."

"Kitling, I assure you. The only perverts here are me and the human."

I rolled my eyes. "Tell me about it."

"You first." He replied smoothly.

"Well, yah mostly jus' make a lot of dirty jokes, but they are pretty funny." I back-pedaled.

"And the human?"

"His _name_ is Logan." I reminded him. "And he needs to figure out which head he wants to think with. One minute, he's fine with a little bit of flirting. But then the next, he wants to give meh a safety lecture and treat me like Ah'm five."

"You growing up is hard on us, kit."

I nodded and looked at the floor. We both fell silent. I really hoped Wolverine didn't ask how far the flirting went in my head, and I was too much a sissy to ask how much of it was real. Maybe Logan and Wolverine felt the same way as their counterparts in my head or maybe their voices were just influenced by what I wanted and not real at all. Either way, I was fine with not knowing. I would just ignore my feelings and hide from my problems.

_Yer where she got this from!_

_**Shut up.**_

_All yer running away set a bad example and now she doesn't know how to deal with her problems!_

_Hush up, both of yah! Wolvie, it's not Logan's fault Ah'm a coward._

"Are you going to come out of the bathroom anytime soon?"

I considered sulking a little while longer, just because I could, but Wolverine might actually break the door down. He could probably just rip it off with a flick of his wrist. He had really thick wrists. I wondered what they'd feel like between my—

I lurched to my feet. "Coming."

_Heh._

_Shut up!_

I opened the door the tiniest crack. Wolverine leaned against the wall barely two feet away. Damn tiny hotel rooms. His body looked completely relaxed, but his eyes were sharp enough I knew he would catch me in a hot second if I tried to run. Not that being bent over the bed again would be such a bad thing...I blushed and gulped. Maybe my little "playtime" with Wolvie had been a really bad idea after all. A really, really bad idea.

He waited for me to creep out of the doorway and inch up to him. I stood in front of him, blushing at his chest because I couldn't look him in the eyes. But he cupped my cheek and lifted my head, forcing me to look at him.

"I don't ever want you to feel embarrassed or ashamed around me, kit." He said, forcing me to hold his gaze. "And if you ever get curious or have questions..."

I made another embarrassed noise and lowered my eyes. He didn't let go of me though, just bent down so he could whisper in my ear.

"I'm here for you, kit."

* * *

So after Wolverine may or may not have implied I could sexually experiment on him, it was Valentine's Day. Not that we did anything for it. I turned out to be right about Logan not celebrating the holiday. In fact, once I started thinking about it, I realized Logan and I hadn't celebrated any holidays except Christmas and my birthday.

But my musings were cut off by my cell phone ringing. I flipped it open and frowned at empty space while I waited for the other end to say something. Logan was in the shower, so I didn't know who else would be calling me.

"Hello." A woman's voice said.

My eyes focused, and I saw my cell sitting on the nightstand. I must have answered Logan's by mistake. My stomach knotted up. Maybe Logan just didn't have Valentine's Day plans with _me_.

"I'm calling to confirm a reservation for two, tonight at six, under the name Logan Howlett."

Oh, so she wasn't the date, but Logan definitely had one. Logan also apparently had a last name, and I'd never even thought to ask him what it was.

"Yes, thank you." I replied numbly.

"Wonderful! We'll see you soon."

"Mm-hm."

She'd see Logan and somebody soon. I snapped his cell shut and set it back on the bed. He hadn't said anything about it. Maybe he didn't know how to tell me. Well, I would show him how mature I could be about it. Logan could have a life if he wanted to. A life outside of me. I didn't mind.

_**Kid...**_

_Shut up! Ah'm being fucking reasonable about this!_

I stood up and walked to the bathroom. Just as I stepped forward to knock on the door, Logan opened it. My fist didn't hit the door like I expected, and I was so stunned by the sudden appearance of his dripping wet chest that I tripped over my feet and stumbled into him. He jumped back, but I tried to catch myself on anything within grabbing reach.

Which happened to be Logan's towel. Which didn't break my fall. Which ended up on the floor with me as I face planted on the tile. Logan dropped to his knees and belatedly tried to offer help, just as I raised up on my elbows. And then I was er, head to head, with his...stuff.

Man stuff. Really big stuff. Was it supposed to be that big?

He scrambled back, grabbing the towel and pressing it over his crotch. I sat up and looked at him.

"Yeh phone rang. Ah answered it 'cause Ah thought it was mah-ne. Yeh reservation is confirmed." I told him.

He huddled in the corner and stared at me, not saying anything back. I stood up as gracefully as I could and walked back out.

"Marie, wait!"

He finally caught up with me beside the bed, and I turned around, looking at him calmly.

"Yes, Logan?"

He cleared his throat. "You okay, kid?"

Kid. Right. Because out here, in the real world, I was "kid." Not darling. I only got called that in my dreams. The Logan in my head whined but didn't deny it.

"Fah-ne. It was jus' an accident. Coulda happened to anybody. Congratulations on yeh date." I said, showing how mature I was. "Ah'm sure she'll enjoy it. The date, Ah mean, not yeh man stuff—not that she won't enjoy that too."

I snapped my mouth shut. So much for mature. Just because I had one dream about him, that didn't mean I had any sort of claim on him. He was only my best friend, and I was acting ridiculous. I turned around and tried to walk away, out to the truck I guess, but Logan pulled me back. He turned me around, but I went stiff at the sight of his grin.

"You're jealous."

I flushed. "No!"

He grin widened enough to split his face, and I tried to leave again, but he hugged me before I could.

"Sorry. Shouldn't have grinned at that." He whispered.

I stayed silent and stiff in his arms.

"You're my date. I made the reservation for us."

I glared up at him. "Then why didn't yah tell meh?"

"Didn't think you'd want to after last night." He muttered.

"Well Ah do, yah jerk! Ah wanna—" I stopped and buried my face back in his chest.

How did I plan to end that? I want to go on a date with you? I want to be the only special person in your life? Those didn't sound childish or selfish at all.

"Ah jus' like holidays." I finally muttered.

"Sure, kid." He replied. "Let me get dressed, and we'll go clothes shopping."

I perked up at that. Did that mean I would get to see Logan in a suit? I thought he would clean up nice, but I couldn't quite picture him wearing a tuxedo or anything. I nodded eagerly though and let him return to the bathroom while I waited.

* * *

Logan sort of wore a suit. He bought a pair of plain black slacks and a really nice dark blue button up shirt, but he flat out refused to wear a vest or jacket. There weren't any blazers that fit over his shoulders anyway, so he ended up wearing his beat up leather jacket over his nice new clothes. It didn't go together at all, but I thought it fit him. Then again, I thought Logan looked good in anything or nothing at all.

I wore a lighter shade of blue, a flowy dress that stopped just past my knees and had black lines randomly crossing each other for a print. The sleeves were short, which would have left my arms cold, but Logan let me get a pair of opera length black gloves. For me, gloves had always been practical. Keep my hands warm. Keep people safe. I never knew they could be beautiful too.

The gloves made me feel bad about how I had acted though. Logan was so sweet. He gave me anything I wanted and spent everyday with me, and yet I couldn't share him for one night.

I didn't feel bad enough to insist he go out with someone else though.

He took me to a restaurant with an italian name neither of us cared to try to pronounce, and the host gave him and his leather jacket a snooty once over.

"Do you have a reservation?" He asked with his nose in the air.

"Howlett." Logan ground out.

He seemed disappointed to see the name on his list, and he summoned a waiter over with the ultimate reluctance. I started to rethink how badly I wanted to be here. The waiter showed us our table without being too snobbish about it. Logan even pulled my seat out for me before he sat down.

"Will the young lady be needing a children's menu?" The waiter asked.

_Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe go fuck yehself...gawd, Mark Wahlberg is hot._

But I smiled sweetly and gave a polite no. He set out two adult menus—thank you very goddamn much—and blathered on about wine. Logan ordered whiskey, and I got a water. Logan and I shared a look after he left.

I tried to stay optimistic. "Ah'm sure the food is good."

He grunted, and we opened our menus. They were in italian. Logan swore under his breath badly enough to make me blush, even with how much I had been swearing myself lately. I looked closer at the menu and felt like cussing myself.

_Okay, breathe. Yah can do this._

_Coulda jest stopped at that rib joint._

_**Shuddup. Marie has class.**_

I almost laughed out loud at the thought. I had class. Right. I was pretty sure classy girls didn't ogle their best friend's junk, but alright. What I did have was one semester of Spanish and half a semester of Latin. Online courses. That weren't Italian. But they were all romance languages, right?

Okay, cena was dinner in Latin, probably the same in Italian. I was pretty sure antipasto was the appetizer section too. And dulce looked like the Latin dulcis, which meant sweet. That was probably dessert. Great, got the sections figured out. Pollo, chicken in Spanish. There were a lot of other subsections next to pollo that I assumed were also meats. And after that was frutti di mare. I knew mare. Latin for...sea. Fruit of the sea? Fish, like seafood!

_Oh, Ah so got this!_

The waiter came back with our drinks, and Logan drained half of his in a single gulp.

"Would you be interested in our artisan pizzas?" He asked.

It was the simplest thing on the menu, and the most easily recognizable. I didn't miss the implication, but Logan made a huerk-ing sound again and hid behind his menu. I did my best to stutter my way through our order, getting Logan something off the manzo section that I was maybe certain was steak. I picked out a random dish from the seafood section for myself, and got a Caesar salad to go with it. The waiter glided off with a graceful disdain that I envied.

I looked over at Logan, who was still hiding behind his menu. I could see his broad shoulders hunched behind it, and I snickered at the memory of the noise he made when the waiter asked about pizza. It was still pretty embarrassing, but kind of funny too.

Logan glared at me over the menu, and I grinned back.

"You got something to laugh about, kid?"

"It's a little bit funny." I said.

"Yeah, I'm sure you think it's real funny, giving me a damn pizza fetish. Haha." He grumbled.

He slapped his menu down and looked around the restaurant, avoiding my eyes. I thought he might even be blushing a little, which made me feel a lot better. I knew I was blushing, even past my smile.

"Payback for giving me a gear fetish." I shot back.

He choked on a gulp of whiskey and glared at me when I laughed again.

"By the time we're finished with each other, we'll have all these weird kinks for random things that are either really ordinary or really outlandish." I said through my giggles. "Like...sponges and llamas!"

He stared at me as I burst into laughter again. The sad part was that I could actually picture Logan giving a llama a scrub down. Like a car wash, but with a llama instead. And he'd only be wearing really short daisy dukes and spraying water on himself while a boombox blasted Pour Some Sugar On Me.

I laughed it out and finally managed to start calming down, taking big gulps of water to cool off my blushing face.

_Could wash yer beaver instead._

I damn near did a spit take. Instead, I swallowed it all in one go and then tried to cough discreetly while my throat felt like it was on fire.

_What? It's Canada. Lotta beavers up here._

_That's not what yah meant, an' yah know it!_

Logan raised an eyebrow at my expression, and my blush returned full force.

"Wolvie wishes to add that instead of washing llamas, you'd do better to try beavers." I said. "Because there are more of them here. It being Canada and all."

Yes, Logan was definitely blushing. He shifted in his seat and cleared his throat uncomfortably, and I thought it was time to change the subject to a more appropriate topic.

"Soooo, how about that hockey game?"

Logan had the decency to give me a grateful look before he launched into a rant about what pussies some team was, and the referees were all fucktards, and how hockey was basically just the manliest sport outside of straight up becoming a gladiator. I nodded a lot and tried to follow along the best I could, and just agree with him when I couldn't.

I got my salad, but it was probably about another half hour before either of us got our main course. And then when we did, I thought maybe they had mixed up our dishes with ones meant for elves. Logan tried to be polite for my sake, and I tried to be polite for his. After we were done though, I passed up on dessert just so we could get out of there faster. I didn't like the way people looked at us.

We walked back to the truck in silence, not really having anything to say. Thanks for the effort sugar, but the night pretty much sucked? Somehow, I didn't think Logan would quite appreciate that. I knew he had tried really hard for tonight though. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Logan?"

He glanced over at me.

"Ah really, really appreciate tonight, but Ah'm still hungry, can we please stop at that rib joint?" I blurted out.

And that was how we ended up in a sleazy rib shack, eating with our hands, laughing at dirty jokes and watching a hockey game on Valentine's Day.

It was perfect.

* * *

**A/N: I am SO sorry I posted these chapters so late! I normally post in the morning before class, but I overslept and barely made it to class on time. But it's here! A little late, but I try really hard not to miss updates.**

**And by the way...GET IT MARIE! Shit, if I had Logan and/or Wolverine in my head (for real-reals)...akdajkljdas. I probably wouldn't make them into sex slaves. Because I'd have a seizure or a heart attack and just die. I don't deserve them. But what do you guys think about Marie? Is she kind of taking advantage of the situation?**

**More flower crowns, aka smut! I told you guys, shit is getting real. Just a few more chapters until the REALLY good stuff (drama, not smut, unfortunately) starts happening. But please, let me know what you've thought of the smutty stuff so far! I've never written sex scenes before, so feedback will be greatly appreciated!**

**Coming up next: Wolverine gets his mate pinned beneath him, and he's determined to finally get his turn...**


	30. Don't Make Deals with the Devil

**JUNE**

* * *

I curled up tighter, trying to keep my whimpers of pain quiet. The Pamprin had worn off while I slept, and by the time I woke up, the pain had already started. Two more pills would take care of it...eventually. But until they kicked in, I would just have to woman up and suffer through it.

"Mmhmph...kid?"

Shit. I didn't mean to wake him up. I really didn't want him to see me like this. I stroked his arm reassuringly and hoped he would go back to sleep.

"Yuh-kay?"

"Fah-ne, sugah." I whispered back.

He twitched his nose and growled. "Liar."

Double shit. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes and sat up, bracing himself on on his elbow. I breathed as evenly as I could and ignored the twisting in my abdomen.

"Can't sleep again?" He asked.

I just nodded.

He sniffed again. "It hurt?"

"Little." I breathed.

Logan reached out and pressed his hand down on my stomach before I could stop him. I gasped and shoved his arm away. It hurt so bad.

"Marie?"

"Sorry." I gasped for air. "Pressure hurts. Jus'...go back to sleep."

"Like hell." He growled.

He scooted closer but didn't make a move to touch me again. I focused on my breathing, squeezing my eyes shut tight. The pills would kick in soon. I only had to wait another fifteen minutes or so. I'd done this before, without pills. Millions of women before me had survived without pain medication. I'd be fine.

_Kitling?_

I shook my head. They couldn't help. As much as I wanted a distraction, listening to any voices, even theirs, made my head hurt. I'd gotten enough migraines while on my period that Logan and Wolvie both knew the drill and retreated inside my head. The quiet meant I didn't have anything to distract me from the cramping, but at least my head didn't hurt too.

"Anything I can do, kid?"

I cracked my eyes open and looked at Logan hovering over me. I'd almost forgotten about him. He should go back to sleep. He'd stopped having nightmares so often, but I still felt guilty whenever I woke him up from a good night's sleep. Lord knew he needed it.

"You should..."

Another wave of pain hit, and I closed my eyes again. It felt like if pain could be condensed down into a concrete form, a real thing, then it was pulsing inside my stomach.

"Don't tell me to go back to sleep. You're in fucking pain." He stopped and let out a frustrated whine. "Wanna make it better."

Even through the pain, I had to smile. My sweet man-puppy. I wanted him to cuddle me, but I didn't want any pressure on my stomach at all. At the same time though, I wanted something warm on my stomach. Heat helped a lot. I dug my toes into the mattress as I thought about which position would work best.

_Wish ya could be doin' that under happier circumstances, kit._

_**Shuddup and get back here.**_

My boys backed off, and I felt like whining at the unfairness of it all. Wolvie was right. I might have maybe possibly considered a time or two a scenario in which Logan and I were in bed...together...with my toes curling...thinking about positions...but I most definitely was NOT on my period. Goddammit.

"Yah mind some awkward positioning?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light.

"Uh, whatever helps, kid."

I fucking hated it when he called me kid. Or maybe I was just angry and hormonal right now, and I hated anything with a penis. Not Logan's fault it sucked having a uterus. I unfolded myself from my curled up position with a wince. Straightening myself felt like it was pulling my stomach apart, but I managed to do it long enough to wrap my legs around Logan's waist, just above his sweats. My knees drew up as far as they could go on either side of him, and I rested my heels on his lower back.

"Sorry this is weird." I mumbled. "Ah jus' need to stay curled up an' warm. This was the best Ah could think of."

"S'okay."

One of his hands patted my head and the other rested awkwardly on my shoulder. I really didn't mean for this to be sexual at all, but this was the only position I could think of where we could be face to face, and I could still be comfortable. We probably could have done something similar back to chest, but then I wouldn't be able to steal his warmth as well, and my ass would have been backed up against his crotch.

"You alright?"

The best reply I could make was a grunting noise.

"You took pills right?"

I nodded.

"Marie?"

I made a whimpering noise that might have been an affirmation of some sort.

"I'll stay with you if that's what you want, but he's really wanting to come out. You mind?"

Honestly, I didn't care. As long as I didn't have to move or give up his warmth. I just wanted to stay curled up in a ball of pain and whimper until it was over. But I made myself nod like it mattered. A second later, a low growl reverberated through his chest. I rubbed my face against the fabric of his wife beater and hummed back. The purr felt nice, especially to my aching body.

"You're such a good little kitling." Wolverine said, his voice deep enough that the vibrations never stopped.

I couldn't keep in my whimpers anymore, and I breathed in open mouthed gasps, whining deep in my throat. The cramps were hardly ever this bad, but when they did get bad, they were horrible.

"You're doing great with your training. The human and I are real proud of you for that. You never slack off or give up. You're our brave girl."

I shuddered and clutched him tighter. He kept talking, whispering to me in a soothing voice, but I didn't listen. I couldn't concentrate enough to make out exactly what he said, but his deep voice kept me grounded until I noticed that the pain wasn't as bad anymore. Now I thought that perhaps there were other options than asking him to carve out my uterus, and maybe that thought process had been a bit of an overreaction in the first place.

"You doing better, Marie?"

Since I could think again, I nodded and matched my breathing to his. He breathed in deep and exhaled in long, even whooshes until I got the hang of it and stopped panting. That was about all I could do however. The pain had faded to a tolerable level, but I felt both tired and wired at the same time. Exhaustion from the lack of sleep and adrenaline from the pain warred inside my body.

"Do you think some of my healing would have been able to help?" He asked.

My brain latched onto the question with all the restless energy that comes from not enough sleep. I was surprised he thought of that. Wolverine had told me a couple of times before that my skin didn't bother him, but I didn't think even he would be so casual about suggesting I use it on him for something as trivial as pain relief.

I shook my head. "No. It still hurts when yah get hurt."

Alright, maybe I was still a little out of it from the pain, but I figured Wolverine would know what I meant. And the adrenaline was starting to wear off, leaving me with only exhaustion.

"Yah heal. This ain't a wound. It's..."

"Fertile." He growled.

"What?"

He tensed and cleared his throat. "...you're fertile and young and uh...healthy."

"Yippee kay-ay." I muttered, leaning into the darkness of sleep.

* * *

"Motherfucker!"

Wolverine just barked out a laugh. I panted and glared at him. He wasn't even sweating, the bastard. The sun was high, and I hadn't eaten since dawn. I thought it was annoying that Logan always slept in and missed the day. I was so wrong. So very wrong.

"Wrong, kitling."

Fucking smug ass shit eating grin giving mother_fucker_.

"Yer mom ain't the one I'm thinkin' 'bout fuckin' right now."

And then he winked. He had the brass balls to look me up and down and _wink_ at me. I fantasized about hammering an icepick straight through his stupid golden iris. Sorry Logan, sugar. Not his fault Wolverine was an asshole.

"Does yeh asshole enjoy drinking whiskey?" I asked, side-stepping to the right as we circled each other.

He raised his eyebrow, but kept his eyes focused on me. "Nope."

"Does it stay up all night and go on angry rampages?"

His lip quirked, and I shot forward, feinting right and moving left. He batted my arm to the side when I tried to throw a punch, and I bobbed to avoid a return punch, but he caught me in the shoulder. The blow knocked me to the side, and I fell to the ground, but I managed to come back up with a kick to his kneecap that slowed him down a little. I almost caught his bare arm with my skin, and he eased up long enough for me to put some breathing room between us.

Back to square one, circling and sizing each other up.

"Does it frequent bars that play lonely country songs?"

"Nah."

"Really? 'Cause it seems to meh like—"

I ran at him, ducking under his swing and circling to his left. He turned fast enough to keep me from getting behind him, but I landed a good hit on his side.

"—yeh _ass—_"

The price for that was a blow to my own side that almost knocked the wind out of me. But it got me inside his reach, and my fingertips trailed across the skin of his bicep long enough to tingle. He just simply moved to fast for me though, backing off before I could do any real damage.

"—must get jealous—"

I pressed on, aiming my punches for his stomach. Trying to punch him anywhere else always hurt my hands due to his metal bones. Even his stomach was protected by rock hard abs that probably hurt my knuckles more than my punches actually hurt him.

"—of all the _shit_—"

He kept knocking aside my punches, being careful to only touch my arms, which were covered by my long sleeve shirt. We alternated practicing in various forms of undress, to train me to use my mutation in all situations of course.

"—that comes out—"

But eventually, I latched onto his arm long enough to feel the connection open. It had happened often enough over our various lessons that I had learned to channel the burst of foreign feeling directly to the back of my mind, where Logan and Wolvie stayed quiet so I didn't get distracted.

"—of yeh _mouth_!"

As good as I had gotten at adjusting to the sensation, it still caused me to falter for the tiniest fraction of a second. And Wolverine was good enough to take advantage of even that split second, twisting his arm around underneath my own and grabbing my forearm. Once he had a grip, he easily broke mine. My sleeves protected his hand too, leaving me without skin to skin contact to work with. Before the full second had even finished, he spun me around and had both my wrists trapped by one of hands behind my back.

I almost considered the insult to be worth it until he started laughing. I struggled with renewed anger and tried to wriggle out of his grip, but he wrapped his other arm around my torso and held me firmly against his body. So I couldn't kick.

"Shh, shh. Easy, kitling."

I threw my head back in the general direction of his nose, but he pulled back in time. Then he bit my neck. I really needed to convince Logan into buying me new shirts. One with lower collars. The collar on this shirt was too high, acting as a barrier between my skin and his mouth. If it only had a lower collar, I could feel his tongue swiping across my—I could use my skin as a tactical advantage.

Because our fighting lessons were totally, one hundred percent on the level. Not sexually suggestive at all. Even when he fought with his shirt off, my insides stayed firm and unmelted.

On the bright side, my concentration skills had grown exponentially. Staying calm and focused in the presence of a sweaty, shirtless Wolverine made learning how to drive a stick seem like working on a relaxing hobby after a stressful weekend.

"Truce."

I huffed, but that had been an order, not a request. He stroked his hand over my stomach and down my side. Maybe he thought he was being soothing. Really, it just tested the resolve of my insides not to melt into a puddle of goo and drip down my legs.

"You need a break, kit." He said in a perfectly even and conversational tone.

I was still panting and working on getting my heart rate back into double digits. He was such a jerk, him and his stupid, glorious body.

"Not yet."

He chuckled. "You're not going to win."

"Yeah, but Ah still wanna punch yah in the face." I retorted.

"Heh. Five more min—"

I twisted my head to the side, pressing my cheek against his chest. My temple caught a bit of skin above the collar of his wife beater, and he released my hands to step back. I reached behind me and caught his forearm, hanging on and maintaining the contact long enough that he started to drop. He grabbed my shirt and pulled me down with him, but I manged to twist out of his weakened grip on the way down.

We both hit the ground, and I landed on my back on top of his chest. The impact knocked my grip loose for a second, and he shoved me off. I rolled to the side and reached out, digging my fingers back into his arm. The brief respite had given his healing factor enough time to kick in though, and he flipped over on top of me, breaking my hold again.

His hand grabbed my wrist, and I tried to keep my other hand free, flailing it behind me in the desperate hope of touching skin. But it was soon trapped with the other one, his grip locked tight around my sleeved covered wrists. I had no hope of physically pushing him up off of me, but I bucked and kicked anyway out of instinct. His legs came around either side of my own and squeezed, trapping them together too.

"Time's up."

Bullshit. Everything had happened so quickly, it probably hadn't even been a full thirty seconds. He was just calling time because he was losing.

_Yeah, ya clearly got me right where ya want me._

I pushed Wolvie back into his corner maybe a little rougher than what was necessary. That was Wolverine's problem—he thought I was just a kitling. Logan too, still thinking of me as a child. And honestly, maybe I was, because what I did next was an immature, petty trick.

I struggled for an appropriately stubborn amount of time longer, gradually slowing down with frustrated huffs I didn't have to fake. Wolverine gave an approving growl when I finally stopped completely, and I didn't have to fake the shiver that ran through my body either. This was the point where I normally conceded defeat like a good little girl, and he got off of me like a responsible adult.

Instead, I arched my back and bared my neck. He pressed closer as his growl deepened, and I whimpered.

Wolverine took the bait hook, line, and boner. His teeth closed over the spot where my shoulder and neck met, just barely on the edge of my shirt. I twisted my head, pulling the same damn move I had done not two minutes earlier. And with Wolverine being so distracted, it worked even better.

But on the down side, with Wolverine so distracted, it worked even better.

I got way more than I bargained for. This rush of consciousness wasn't awareness of having enhanced smell or the ghostly impression of the next move. It was the purely male knowledge of what it felt like to be _inside_ a woman, wanting that feeling with the girl beneath me, wondering how hard and how quickly I could make her come.

It only lasted for a few seconds before it dissipated, leaving me gasping for breath in my own body again. What Wolverine didn't know was that I had the knowledge—or at least the imagination—of exactly how hard and how fast.

Then I was on the ground. Wolverine must have been supporting me somehow, but he was crouched a few feet away from me. And I was collapsed in the dirt, still trying to chase out the memory of how good it had felt the last time he had bent me over and growled in my ear.

I made the mistake of lifting my head and making eye contact. His nostrils flared. Crap. He definitely knew what I had been thinking about. And I knew exactly what he had been thinking about. Was it too late to abort mission?

"Got something on your mind, kit?" He asked lowly.

Abort, abort!

"Something on yours, wolf?" I shot back.

Aw, crap. Me and my big mouth. It was because he called me kit. And that sounded too much like kid, which I hated. But poking the Wolverine was not a good idea.

_Careful kitling, I might poke back...and I gotta bigger stick._

_**Like hell! He touches you, drain his ass until I get back!**_

Wolverine sat back on his haunches without replying. I pushed myself up on my knees and watched him carefully, but he looked completely relaxed, even a little amused. I hadn't cut his hair in a while, and it hung down in his face. His wife beater was stained with sweat and dirt, and it clung to his skin. He crouched with his knees spread apart, casually giving me a prime view of his crotch. He either didn't notice, or the position was so natural, he didn't care.

Then he stood. "Take a break, Marie."

I stayed kneeling on the ground and didn't move. He walked over to the truck and opened the door. I tried to tell myself he was just getting our lunch, and he did turn back around with our food gathered in his arms. But he only called me by my name when something was wrong or really serious.

I guess the mutual knowledge that we both thought about having sex with each other was pretty damn serious.

He handed me my bag and an opened can of root beer. He had two brown paper bags filled with his lunch and a bottle of Molson's, which he opened with the bottle opener I had gotten him the Christmas before last. He and Logan always used it when it was just us, even thought they could use their teeth and claws instead. I took a drink of root beer to calm my nerves.

"Who were you thinking about when you masturbated?"

I choked and spluttered on the soda. He sat down next to me, one leg stretched out and one leg pulled up. His hand rested casually on his drawn up knee, the bottle neck dangling from his fingers.

"Bruce Willis." I blurted out.

_Liar._

_Nuh-uh. He didn't specify which time._

"The night we had our talk?" He pressed.

I looked away.

_**You don't have to answer that. Just ask for me, and I'll come out.**_

I considered it for a second, but dismissed it pretty quickly. Talking about this with Wolverine was embarrassing, but trying to explain what had happened to Logan would be even worse. He still thought of and treated me like a child. Wolverine might be kind of chauvinistic sometimes, but he hadn't talked down to me that night. He had actually been pretty reasonable about it.

"You." I finally muttered.

He took a long swig from his bottle. I busied myself with unpacking my lunch while I watched him out of the corner of my eye. His golden eyes never left my face.

"Not the human?"

"No, that night was yeh turn."

I took a large bite of my sandwich so I wouldn't be able to say anything else. I'd already told him too much, and I was really hoping he'd drop it.

"So you like boys now?"

I glared at him and chewed furiously. Just when I thought we couldn't possibly have any more awkward conversations, we have another horribly awkward conversation. Wolverine really needed to learn a few human concepts, like decency and embarrassment.

I swallowed. "No."

He raised an eyebrow. "No?"

I scowled down at my food and ripped open a bag of potato chips. I really didn't want to have this conversation with him or Logan or anyone. My teenage hormones were awful enough without discussing them out loud. But Wolverine just waited, staring at me until I caved and kept talking.

"Only boy Ah've ever really been around was Cody." I muttered. "So no, Ah don't like...boys."

"But you've been thinking of me?" He asked with a cocky grin.

I threw my chips back down. "Yes, alrah-ght! Ah've been thinking about yah, an' Ah did naughty things to yah in mah head 'cause Ah'm a crazy, hormonal teenage girl, an' Ah'm a pervert an' Ah can't help it, an' Ah'm sorry!"

I pushed my food away and started scrambling to my feet, but Wolverine caught my arm and pulled me back down. I landed in his lap, and he wrapped his arms around me, keeping me pressed to him even when I struggled. He made the same soothing noises he had before, nuzzling against my temple until I slumped into his embrace in defeat.

"There's nothin' wrong with ya, Marie." He growled, then cleared his throat. "Didn't I say you never had to feel embarrassed or ashamed around me?"

This was different. A lot different. Worse than getting caught skinny dipping or masturbating. This was me being sexually attracted to my best friend. The best friend I had promised to spend the rest of my life with—that I _wanted _to spend the rest of my life with. Sex was pretty much the only thing missing from our relationship.

And apparently, he thought about having sex with me too.

"Do yah wanna have sex with meh?" I mumbled into his shoulder.

He sighed. "Am I physically attracted to you? Yes. But that would be all kinds of wrong, and I will never hurt you, especially not like that. Mostly I just try to ignore that you're a young, attractive female. Kind of difficult to do that though, when you pull cock-teasing little stunts like that."

"Sorry."

But my heart wasn't really into the apology. Instead, all I could think about was his reasoning. More specifically, his _lack_ of reasoning. He'd said it would be wrong and might hurt me, but what he hadn't said was that he didn't want to. Nothing about how he only thought of me as a friend. In fact, following his reasoning, the only real obstacle was my age.

"S'okay, kitling." He squeezed me tight. "Most of it is just me being a pervert."

I snorted. "Well we can jus' be perverts together then."

He chuckled and stroked my hair. I rested my head against his chest. We both seemed calm, but it felt like we were all just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Even Logan and Wolvie stayed quiet in my head, watching closely to see who would make the next move and what it would be.

"I know you're growing up, Marie." Wolverine started off. "Your hormones are going a bit crazy, but there's nothing wrong with that. You're getting older, and it's natural that you're staring to think about sex."

He stopped and waited long enough that I got the hint and nodded my reluctant agreement.

"That's fine." He repeated. "But I don't want you messing around with other guys. They might hurt you or try to take advantage."

I looked up at him, and he brushed his thumb over my cheek.

"So if you have questions, you ask me. If you get curious about something, you talk to me about it. And if you want to feel something," He tipped my chin up even more, his stare hot enough to make me shiver. "...I can give that to you."

"What about Logan?" I breathed.

Wolverine shrugged. "Not like he needs to know."

My head spun. I wasn't entirely sure what Wolverine's offer entailed, and just the thought of keeping a secret like that from Logan made me feel bad. It felt wrong, like...

Was it possible to cheat on Logan with Wolverine? They were sort of the same person, and Logan and I weren't dating or anything, but that's what it felt like.

"Wh—what do yah get out of it?" I stuttered.

His face hardened. "No. This isn't about me getting something. You have a need, or you will soon, and I'm taking care of it."

I looked down at my hands in my lap. "Yah don't have to...if yah don't—don't wanna."

"Aw, shit." He lifted my head back up, cupping my face with both his hands. "This ain't exactly selfless. You are a beautiful young female, and if you want to start touching and learning about sex, I volunteer to be your test dummy."

"Yeh jus' willing to make that sacrifice?" I asked dryly.

He nodded with all seriousness and dropped a hand to flick my tags. "I'm always willing to serve."

We stared at each other with straight faces until I started to giggle and he began to snicker. He braced himself on one hand and leaned back, letting me lay against his chest while we laughed. I quieted slowly, but didn't make any effort to move away.

_**You shouldn't keep things from me, kid.**_

_Ya don't deserve to know._

_**I'm just trying to keep her safe!**_

_Ya treat her like a child! At least I'm dealin' with this as an adult!_

_**By offering to corrupt her? Real fucking mature of you, bub.**_

_She's gonna want to touch somebody. Would ya rather it be with some shit faced asshole?_

_**...she says she doesn't like boys.**_

_Because she likes men, dumbass. If we don't get a handle on this, she'll still end up goin' after some asshole twice her age. It jest won't be us._

_Hey! Ah'm rah-ght here._

I took a deep breath and considered my options. Both of my boys had a good point, even if they were both jerks about it. I couldn't see myself having a conversation about that was anywhere near reasonable with Logan. He would probably just forbid me from doing anything at all, ever. But I really didn't like the thought of keeping secrets either. I didn't know what to do, but I wasn't exactly rejecting Wolverine's offer either.

I gave Wolverine a shy glance. "Can Ah have some time to think about it?"

"Course you can. I won't ever take something you're unsure of or aren't willing to give. This is about what you want." He murmured, still stroking my hair.

I nodded and hugged him. He gave me a one-armed hug back and held me for a moment before gently easing me off of him.

"Eat your lunch, kit. You're gonna need your strength."

He smirked, and I scoffed in return.

"Yeh having delusions of grandeur. Must be from how hard yah hit yeh head when Ah brought yah down."

He laughed and shot me a wink. "I'll go down for you anytime."

Actually, I would much prefer to go down on him. But I kept that thought to myself and ate my sandwich. One day, I would figure out what to do with my arrogant, sexy wolf-man. And it would be a mature, well thought out decision.

But today, I just finished eating my sandwich and thought about all the ways I could punch him in his smug fucking face.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, back to getting updates posted before noon! Sorry again about the last time, I didn't mean to freak you guys out and let you think there wouldn't be one.**

**So who do you agree with? Wolvie, Logan, or just don't know like Marie? And one day I will quit it with the Bruce Willis thing, but today is not that day...**

**Drama, drama, drama! I know a while back I gave a list of the chapters I'd do, and it went sort of like October, February, June, October, January or something. But I really wanted to make room for this subplot so we could have a little bit of sexiness before they start in with the Brotherhood and other X-Men drama. So the new list looks a bit more like June, August, September, October...and then maybe January or December. Sometime around the Christmas time.**

**And I am so fucking proud of myself for that insult. You have no idea how long I thought about, trying to make it new and different and snazzy.**

**Coming up next: Marie finds out about the hooker! And if Logan can have sex with whoever, whenever without telling her, then maybe it's none of his business if her and Wolverine work out their own arrangement...**

**PS: Who wants to get poked by Wolverine's stick?**


	31. because

**AUGUST**

* * *

It had been two months since Wolverine gave me his offer, but I hadn't decided anything. It wasn't his offer that I objected to, I just hadn't been able to convince myself it was okay to keep a secret like that from Logan. So Wolverine and I had carefully avoided the subject while I thought of a way to get Logan on board. But I couldn't come up with anything.

And I was starting to wonder exactly what Wolverine was offering. I'd already realized sex was the only thing missing that would turn our friendship into an actual relationship. Hell, we already had a better relationship than any married couple I'd ever seen, including my own parents. We lived together, often in tiny hotel rooms, sometimes just sleeping out in the truck. I'd seen couples who couldn't get along in whole houses, much less be stuck in a car with each other for twelve hours a day. We'd both already made it clear we were in it for the long haul, my whole life, and we'd already established we both love each other. And thought about having sex with each other.

At least, Wolverine and I did. I didn't know about Logan. Every time I tried to talk about it with the Logan in my head, he avoided the question or gave me a lecture about me being too young. But he didn't say no. I hadn't dared to bring it up to the real Logan though. I might not have been entirely sure about Wolverine's intentions, but I knew he would talk to me honestly about them if I ever got the courage to ask. I wasn't so sure about Logan. I worried he might shut me out or take one of his long walks and then never discuss it again. The Logan in my head didn't contradict me.

I got to see Wolverine fight tonight though, so I pushed my worries aside and decided not to think about them. He set me up on a barstool at the counter and let me hold his jacket. If the tags weren't enough, the brown leather jacket marked me as his. And when I set it on my lap, I could feel the weight of the sketchbook I gave him the Christmas before last in the pocket. It made me smile to know he still carried it with him.

Wolverine stepped into the cage and looked back to give me a cocky wink. He loved to show off for me, and the crowds loved it even more. I leaned back against the counter in casual indifference. His eyes narrowed, and I had to look away quickly to hide my grin. I knew he still saw it though, because he saw everything I did. But I wanted to see what would happen if I held back a bit for once.

_What did I tell ya 'bout pokin' Wolverines with sticks?_

_That they're fiercely territorial an' closely related to ferrets._

_What did ya fuckin' call me?! I am not a goddamn—the fuck are ya—goddammit!_

Wolvie stalked off to pout in a corner of my mind. I laughed and tried to call him back, but a loud noise drew my attention back to the fight. The crowd screamed as Wolverine's opponent slid down the bars of the cage, having obviously just been thrown into the mesh by Wolverine. His golden eyes drilled into mine, and I gulped.

Another contestant stepped in though, delaying his return to me. I gave a belated cheer for him, but he just snorted air out through his nose and turned back around.

"God_damn. _Just look at all that meat!"

I glanced around the bar to see a group of fight groupies hanging out close enough to where I sat that I could hear their conversation. The one who'd just made the meat comment licked her lips, and I repressed a shudder. From her hair to her nails to her oversized chest, I couldn't spot a single real body part.

"I had him back in Ontario." Another bragged.

I sipped my water and tried not to look like I was eavesdropping, even though I desperately was.

"No!" A blonde squealed.

"Yeah, he travels the fight circuit. Picked me up and got us a room."

She was trying to sound all casual about it, like she got fucked by men like Logan all the time, but she was clearly lording her conquest over her friends' heads. And they ate it all up with a bitter side of envy.

Not that I knew anything about that. Because I wasn't jealous. At all.

_**Ki—**_

_Shut up. Ah'm listening._

"—not too long, but it was long enough to make me come harder than I ever had before."

I gulped down the rest of my water and wondered if the bartender would give me something stronger. For a petty second, I thought about getting wasted just so Logan would have to take me back to the motel. He couldn't spend the night with any of them if he was with me. But no, wait. He could just take me back, tuck me in, and go back out. Shit.

_**I wouldn—**_

"Right before Valentine's Day." The tramp continued, answering one of her friend's questions that I had missed.

I stared in my cup. The Logan in my head had went silent, unable to defend his real self any longer. The real Logan had probably only taken me out that night out of guilt. Logan always felt guilty about something. Didn't stop him from fucking shit up though.

"—go talk to him."

The crowd had started cheering again, so Wolverine must have won. I sat on my stool and tried not to care. He could just have his stupid hooker. I sulked for another minute or two like that, but then I felt a warm body slide up behind me, wrapping a thick arm around my waist. I refused to turn around.

"Kitling?"

I relaxed a little and cautiously turned around. His eyes were still golden, and I threw myself back into his arms, nuzzling my face against his chest.

"Is it true?" I asked Wolverine.

"...is what—"

I glared up at him and interrupted. "Did he fuck her and take me on a guilt date the night after."

Wolverine stayed silent for a long moment, but at least he didn't break eye contact or try to make excuses.

"Yeah." He finally grunted.

"So why are yah here?" I demanded.

Wolverine leaned close and growled in my face. "Don't mistake me for him."

I gulped and looked at the floor. He pulled my head forward and pressed it against his chest. I raised my arms and hugged him while he petted my hair.

"I'm not interested, so I told her to fuck off." He said.

"Ah accept yeh deal."

He sighed and made eye contact with the bartender, jerking his head slightly to the side. The bartender ran off to get his winnings, and he turned his attention back to me.

"Alright, but we're not doing anything in a shithole bar. Let's get back to the hotel and then we'll talk." He said.

I pouted. I didn't want to _talk_. The entire point of the deal he offered was that our mouths would be decidedly occupied with activities other than talking.

Wolverine grabbed his envelope full of money and tugged me off the stool, keeping his arm wrapped around me as we walked out. I clung a bit closer to him than usual and flipped off the hookers behind my back as we walked past. I wanted to blame my behavior on the Logan or Wolvie in my head, say it was their aggressive male presence that made me act the way I did, but I knew it was all me. Maybe learning how to fight had made me more willing to stick up for myself or maybe my teenage hormones were just making me crazy. Maybe both.

The ride back to the motel was silent, but at least Wolverine stayed in control. I really didn't feel like talking to Logan at that moment. I didn't know what Wolverine had said to the hooker and if he planned on going back for seconds, so I contemplated being mad at him too. Not that I really had a right to be jealous of either of them, but logic didn't exactly play a part in my emotional state.

We got back to the hotel, and I hopped on the bed impatiently. Wolverine shrugged off his jacket and threw it on a nearby chair, then knelt in front of me. I clenched my hands at my sides to keep from reaching out and touching him.

"So how does this work?" I asked, trying to sound confident.

"We wait until morning, when you're not so upset." He firmly cut off my protests. "If you still feel the same way in the morning, we'll get started."

"Ah wanna start now." I whined.

He cupped my cheek. "I don't want you to make this decision just because you're angry."

"Fine." I huffed. "Be all responsible then."

My actions betrayed my words though, because I couldn't resist touching him any longer. I leaned into his hand and rubbed my own hands over his shoulders. He grinned and guided my head closer to nip softly at my neck. He started to pull away, but I wasn't done yet. I reached further up and slid my fingers into his hair, tugging at the strands the way I had done to the Wolvie in my mind.

The next moment, I was flat on my back with Wolverine growling above me, my hands locked in his grip above my head. I grinned stupidly up at him, proud that I'd gotten such a strong reaction out of him. It was his turn to huff angrily at me.

"Behave yourself, little kitling." He warned.

"Or what?" I whispered back.

He raised an eyebrow and reached down with his free hand toward his belt. I watched with wide eyes as he slowly unbuckled it and pulled it out of the loops of his jeans. The strange bulge in his jeans that I'd always just assumed came from the way the buckle pressed on the fabric stayed though. For the first time, it really occurred to me what exactly caused that bulge.

It was a really big bulge too.

He leaned back over me, bracing himself on his elbow while still keeping my hands trapped. His other hand held his belt on the bed, right next to my head. I swallowed hard and fought to maintain eye contact as my thoughts raced wildly, most of them heading straight for the gutter.

"Or I will tie your hands to the bedpost."

He rattled his belt to emphasize his threat, and I couldn't seem to draw in enough oxygen all of a sudden.

"A-and then?"

He smirked and leaned closer, so I could feel his breath fanning across my lips and chin.

"And then..." He paused while I waited in breathless anticipation. "I'll go take a very cold shower."

I frowned in crushing disappointment and confusion as he sat back up, although he still didn't release my freaking hands.

"I'll spend the rest of the night in that chair over there, numbing my mind with late night television that humans love so much, and you can sleep all by your lonely self." He continued.

I whimpered and pouted up at him. He looked down at me as he considered and finally relented.

"But..." Again with the pause, just to watch me squirm. "If you're a good little kitling, I'll let you go and we can sleep together."

I bit my lip and dropped my eyes. "Yah'll stay with meh?"

His gaze softened. "Course I will, kit."

"Can we still cuddle?" I mumbled, glancing up at him.

"Are you going to be good?"

"Yes, sir."

It just slipped out, before I'd really thought about it. Maybe because he was so dominant. Maybe Wolvie was just too light for the situation and Wolverine was too much of a mouthful. It wasn't like I'd ever called anyone else sir. I'd always just called my parents Mama and Daddy, and my teachers by their surnames.

But it didn't even give Wolverine pause. He just nodded and released my hands. I dared to sit up, mostly because it would make it harder to look at my face. I was certain my blush could be seen from outer space. He nuzzled his cheek against my temple, then gently pushed me up off the bed.

"I'll wait while you get ready for bed." He said, laying back and stretching out.

I nodded and quickly grabbed my pajamas, then practically raced into the bathroom. I felt like I needed a cold shower after that. Were things going to be weird after calling him sir? Did I always have to call him that now or only when we were doing...things.

_Pretty hot, kit. But ya don't hafta do anything ya aren't comfortable with._

I sat on top of the toilet seat and sighed. My Wolvie was actually being pretty reassuring, but I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing. I definitely wanted Wolverine's deal, but I honestly had no real idea of what I was getting into.

_**Then say no. Tell me, and—**_

_No. Real-Logan an' Ah don't talk about stuff like this, remember?_

_**Marie...**_

I paused and actually considered it. Maybe it was none of my business, and Logan didn't have to tell me or ask for my permission. But if that was true, then it worked both ways. The only argument he had was that I was younger and might get hurt, but it was Wolverine, and I knew he would never, ever hurt me. Could Logan say the same about that hooker? She could have diseases or weird fetishes.

I shook my head. _No. Ah trust Wolverine._

_**...but not me.**_

I wincedbut didn't correct him. I was still trying to get over the sleeping with someone else and taking me on a pity/guilt date thing. And I could always talk to Wolverine about anything. Not so much with Real-Logan. So I just sighed and got ready for bed.

Wolverine was waiting for me just like he'd promised when I came out of the bathroom, and he welcomed me into bed with him. I snuggled up close to him and breathed in his scent. It took a while to relax and shut my mind down, but eventually I fell asleep in his arms.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up, but he was still asleep. I tried poking him, but he just growled and rolled over. Wolverine never slept later than me, so Logan must be in charge again. I flopped down in the chair with a disappointed groan and thought about my options. I could always dump cold marbles in the bed. But I didn't have any of those. I used to have a fairly large marble collection at home, but I'd had to leave them there.

A sudden thought occurred to me, and I spent the next several minutes giggling hysterically over the realization that I had lost my marbles.

I finally calmed down and left Logan sleeping to take a shower. He was still in bed when I came back out, but I was sick of waiting for him to wake up and still feeling pretty petty, so I jumped in bed with him.

"Logan, Logan! Wake up!" I shouted in a sing-song voice.

He groaned loudly again and tried to get away, but I clung to him and leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"Please, sugah?"

I raked my nails over his scalp just behind his ears, and he let out a growling purr.

"Ah ordered pizza."

"Huerk!"

He jerked up and flailed around, ending it by falling off the bed. I collapsed on the sheets, literally rolling with laughter. Maybe I felt more outright mean than just petty. Logan popped his head up over the edge of the bed, staring at me with wide eyes like a prairie dog.

"Ah'm hungry." I said innocently.

His mouth worked silently for a moment. "F-for?"

"Sausage and grits. There's a diner across the street. Ah thought we could have breakfast together."

"Oh. I, uh—" He swiped his hand over his face. "Yeah."

I hopped off the bed. "Get dressed. Let's go."

I stood by the door and waited while he went in the bathroom to change. I rolled my eyes. It wasn't like we hadn't seen each other naked before.

_Wanna 'nother look at the goods, kit?_

I blushed but didn't deny it.

_**Look, kid—**_

_Adult._ I called him right back.

It took him a moment to catch on, but then he corrected himself and used my actual name.

_**Marie.**_

I stayed quiet and let him continue.

_**You shouldn't keep secrets from me, especially him.**_

I didn't answer again.

_**If you're so upset about me not telling you, at least give me a chance.**_

I sighed. _Al-rahght. One chance._

Real-Logan came out of the bathroom, and I held out his jacket to him. It was actually pretty warm outside—for Canada, which had nothing on Mississippi. But no matter what the weather, Logan wore his leather jacket. It looked damn good on him though, so I didn't comment.

He walked with me across the street, his arm resting easily around my waist. My decision to give him a second chance eased my guilty conscience a little. If he was honest with me, then I would be honest with him. But if he wasn't then I didn't see why I should be honest with him.

"What happened last night?" He asked once we got a table.

I went with the truth. "Some woman was talking about...um, yah an' her."

Logan looked at me blankly. That was pretty vague, and I knew how much Logan was propositioned, at the very least. I would just have to be more specific and go for it.

"Around Valentine's Day." I offered.

A waitress came up to take our drink order before he could reply though. I kept my breathing steady and heart rate down as I waited for his answer. She left, but Logan just shook his head at me.

"Only thing I did around then was take you out. She was probably just talking shit." He said.

I nodded and looked at my hands. The Logan in my head stayed completely silent, his guilt and self-loathing not helping the situation any. Real-Logan reached out and held my hand.

"Kid, you alright?" He asked.

I nodded and pushed my emotions away. I might be a crazy, hormonal teenager but after all the work I did learning how to control the voices, I had gotten good at managing my mind when I needed to.

"Yeah. She did say a lot of stuff." I mumbled.

Let him worry about that and feel guilty for it. But I didn't want him to keep pressing the issue, so I continued.

"But Wolverine said he wasn't interested and stayed the night with me to make sure I was okay."

There. That should reassure him that it was taken care of and account for the unusually long amount of time Wolverine spent with me last night.

_**I don't like how good you are at not lying to me...**_

_Deal with it._

Wolvie stayed smug and silent inside my head. He really didn't have anything to contribute except I told you so, and he knew I didn't want to hear that.

"Good." Logan squeezed my hand and let go. "I was thinking about moving on today."

Yeah, I bet you were. Probably just don't want me to run into that hooker again.

"Okay. But Ah was hoping to have a movie night with Wolverine." I replied.

The waitress came back with my milk and his coffee, and asked us what we wanted to order. I went through the list, basically ordering the entire menu, with a side of grits just for me. I'd eat anything else I wanted off of Logan's plates, but at the moment, I doubted I'd be able to choke down the grits.

"I can watch a movie with you, kid." He said after she had left again.

"Yeah, but the only time Ah get to see him is when he's fighting or we're training. It would be nice to see him when punching isn't involved." I hedged.

Logan considered for a moment. "If we leave after this, we can be in the next town by evening. You can see him then."

I nodded, and we talked about the fight last night. When Wolverine had told me Logan stayed away from his time, and he stayed away from Logan's, he apparently meant it. Like they had drawn lines over their mind with painter's tape and refused to let the other see or touch anything on their side. I wasn't sure how healthy that was. Before, Logan seemed to have a general idea of what happened while Wolverine "drove" and vice versa. But now the two seemed almost entirely separate. It worked out well for me though, since I didn't want Logan remembering anything from my night with Wolverine.

We ate our food and hit the road, and I broke out my gameboy to ward off any conversation with Logan. When he did try to talk to me, I would find a way to turn it around and start chattering about my Pokemon team. He quickly stopped trying, and we drove the rest of the way listening to the radio.

* * *

We pulled up to the new hotel, and I saved my game while Logan got us a room. I busied myself gathering up our pillow, his duffel bag, and bathroom stuff for the night and tomorrow. I'd done it often enough that it was routine, and I had everything we needed by the time Logan came out and opened my door for me. We walked in the room, and he kicked the door shut behind us while I threw his bag and pillow on the nearest chair.

He pulled me into a hug. "You need anything else?"

I knew he wanted to stay a bit longer so we could talk and maybe get some cuddles out of me for himself. But I mutely shook my head. He squeezed me a little tighter for a moment, then let go and walked around the room. I stood where I was and waited for Wolverine to finish checking out the room. I could usually tell them apart by their posture and the way they walked. Wolverine _stalked_. Logan could definitely move like that too, but it came a bit more naturally to Wolverine. He finished his inspection and sat on the bed, motioning for me to come over. I grabbed the remote on the way and flicked on the TV. Some random FX movie came on. Movie time over. I turned it off.

Wolverine raised an eyebrow.

"That was our movie night." I said briskly. "Now about our deal."

He pulled me closer and rubbed my hip. "Calm down and keep your pants on, kit. We have time."

"Ah'm not throwing mahself at yah." I protested. "Ah really do want to talk. Ah have a lot of questions."

"You still want to do this?" He asked.

My facade broke, and I climbed into his lap. He held me without question, and I held back my tears.

"He lied to meh."

"M'sorry."

I sniffed. "Not yeh fault."

He bumped his head against my cheek, and I nuzzled back. "Don't say yes just because of that."

"Ah wanna touch, an' yah..."

I trailed off and thought about how to say it. Logan and Wolverine were the only ones I could really touch without worrying about my skin, but it wasn't just about that. They were also my best friend, and I trusted—

Well. I trusted Wolverine completely. Logan's trustworthiness had taken a major hit. But it didn't change the best friend thing or the fact that honestly, I kind of had a crush on them.

Which was like saying Texas was kind of big.

"Yah will still be mah best friend?"

"Yes. Forever." He promised.

I decided to go for it with Wolverine too. "What if Ah want more?"

"...more?" He repeated.

"Ah love yah, an' yah love meh. We live together, an' that's not ever gonna stop."

Maybe that was assuming a lot, that he would just stay and live with me for the rest of my life, but that's what I was going with. I just prayed he felt the same.

_Forever._

"Touching an' um..." My voice faltered for a second. "S-sex is all we don't do. So why don't we do...that, an' jus' be with each other, an' then we won't need anyone else."

Once again, I was flat on my back before I even knew what hit me. Wolverine certainly knew how to treat a lady. I didn't know if that was a yes or no or what, but the last time this happened, it worked out pretty well, so I just went along with it. His teeth sunk into my neck, harder than he'd ever done it before. I arched up and clung to him. It hurt like hell, but I didn't care. He wouldn't be marked me as his if he was going to tell me to get out.

_Never! Not leaving, ever—you're mine, mine, all mine—_

"Mine, forever mine, my Marie-mate."

It took me a moment to separate Wolverine's voice in my head from what he was actually mumbling into my neck as he lapped at the bite mark. I dimly remembered that he hadn't called me that since the first time we officially met. He sat up, and I blinked at him in a daze.

"Sorry." He panted. "I—yes."

"Yes?" I asked.

We were never going to get anywhere if we just kept repeating what the other said, but my mind felt like it had dissolved into a puddle of take me now. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. When he opened his eyes again, they were still just as golden, but not quite as wild.

"Yes, I want that with you. I'll be yours, and you'll be _mine_." He said, eyes flashing again at the end.

I had to swallow hard before I could speak. "Does Logan...feel the same way?"

"Yeah."

"Then why—"

"Because he's a—" Wolverine stopped and took another calming breath. "Jackass."

I wondered what he had been thinking of calling Logan that had been so bad, jackass seemed like the tame alternative.

"Um, can Ah—" I wiggled around a bit and pushed up.

Wolverine scooped me up and moved us both back so that he was sitting with his back against the headboard, and I sat in his lap again. It was a much more comfortable position for talking instead of him hovering over me, which was very distracting.

"Okay, so Logan's a jackass. Agreed." I said to recap. "How do we de-jackass him?"

"You still want him in on this?" Wolverine asked.

I sighed. "Don't get me wrong. Ah'm pissed. But Ah promised Ah'd stick with yah through all the fuck ups. An' one day maybe Ah'll fuck something up real bad. Ah wouldn't want yah to jus' write meh off."

"We won't...Marie?"

I looked up in surprise when he said my real name. "Yeah?"

"This is forever."

"Ah—"

"No." He interrupted. "If you say yes, there won't ever be any going back."

_**At least stop and think about it.**_

_We won't ever give ya up, so ya better be damn sure._

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and thought about what I wanted.

I wanted to go to college. Maybe do something with art or teach. I wanted someone with me who would support that and anything else I came up with if I ever changed my mind.

I wanted to travel. Go new places and learn a different language. Maybe several. I wanted to see everything and do something really big. But I didn't want that forever. Just something to do so I could have done it. I still wanted a real home one day. And maybe the traveling wouldn't even have to stop, just as long as I had a place to come back to.

I wanted a home. A real home, but away from other people. I hated the constricting feel of a small town, and I had been disappointed to realize the big cities Logan had taken me to were just a lot of small communities grouped together. I wanted a place that was just mine, without noise or neighbors. I could see other people when I traveled, but I wanted someplace quiet and safe to come home to.

I wanted to be safe and loved and wanted. I never wanted to be thrown away again. I wanted someone who would always _want me_, no matter what crazy thing I did. I wanted to be loved and have that emotional connection, but I also wanted a physical connection too. I wanted the things I had read in romance novels, and I didn't want to feel bad for wanting them. And I wanted someone who understood about the voices and didn't make me feel crazy or defective.

I realized I wanted a lot of things.

So I tried to think of someone who could give me all of that. I imagined going to college and meeting a nice boy. Someone who thought it was cool that I wanted to be an artist and didn't talk about "real jobs." Someone who wanted to see the world too, but didn't mind living in the country. Who didn't care that I was a mutant and was willing to work around my skin. Who would always be supportive about the voices and not mind that I had another—two other men living inside my head, and a very large, growly best friend. Because even if that magical "nice boy my age" came along, Logan and Wolverine would still be a part of my life.

I tried really hard, but I just couldn't make it work. It basically just came down to I wanted a lot of things, almost all of them contradictory. Being an artist, but having the money to travel. Experiencing new cultures, but living in isolation. Wanting to touch, but having deadly skin. Marrying one man, but always loving another.

Maybe it wasn't fair of me to want so much. My mother always said marriage was about compromise. That just sounded like a nice way of telling me to lower my expectations. So I tried to be less greedy and selfish. I whittled away at all the things I wanted, at my dreams, until I ended up imagining myself living in a small town, trying to be an artist but really just being a housewife. And mediocre sex, filled with gloves and clothes, "just in case."

Because I really could kill a human without even trying, in my sleep, in a startled moment, in a thousand different ways.

And I didn't want to settle. I didn't want to give up any part of my dreams. I didn't even want to settle with Logan and be with him just because he was the only one who could withstand my skin. But it didn't seem like that. I might have been biased, but it seemed to me like he was the only one who touch me without being afraid for a reason.

Because when I tried to picture my life with Logan, it worked perfectly. Maybe not all the time. We'd definitely have fights and arguments and generally drive each other crazy. But I knew he would never walk out on me, that if he promised forever, he would mean it. He would support all of my dreams and take care of me, just like he did now. I could have everything I wanted, and not give up on my dreams.

So why wouldn't I want that?

Logan and Wolvie stayed silent in my head, but I could feel the wave of happiness coming from both of them at my thoughts of us being together forever. The solution seemed so simple and right that anything else felt like trying to force a square block into a circle hole.

_Any objections, boys?_

_Hell, no! Mine!_

I grinned. _Logan?_

_**This is what you want.**_

It wasn't a question like I expected, and I didn't understand for a moment. Then I felt the echoes of his amazement, like he truly hadn't expected me to want to be with him. Stupid jackass. I didn't know whether I wanted to punch him or cuddle him into submission.

_Yes, sugah. Ah want to be with yah, an' no one else with make meh happy. Yah want meh to be happy, don't yah?_

_**I—yeah. I'm in, darling.**_

I smiled wider and opened my eyes, then blinked in confusion. My neck hurt, and the TV was on. When had the TV been turned on?

"Marie?"

I looked up, and Wolverine stared down at me with worry. How long had I been thinking?

"You were gone for a while there, kitling." He said, rubbing a hand up and down my back.

"Ah was thinking about it." I replied.

He looked surprised, but I just shrugged. "Ah'm not deciding the rest of mah life on a whim. Ah really did think about it."

"Oh." His face didn't show anything, but he went so still, he must have stopped breathing.

"Yes." I said quickly. "Ah really do want this."

He yanked me closer and buried his face in my neck, but he didn't bite me this time. He only held me tight enough for it to be uncomfortable. I didn't complain, just hugged him back. I stroked my hand through his hair, without pulling this time. He relaxed a fraction and made a deep purring sound. I laid against him, and we held each other for a long time.

Finally, I pulled back. "So how are we going to get Logan in on this?"

* * *

**A/N: Does anyone even still WANT Logan in on the fun? I know things are a little bit weird right now, because it seems like the pairing is a bit more WolverinexMarie than LoganxMarie. Logan eventually gets his shit together though...eventually.**

**And I also know I'm drawing this out longer than I promised, adding in lots of new chapters. But I figured if I wrapped up the plot of Marie and Wolverine's deal now and just skipped ahead to her birthday, you'd miss all the sexy parts. And no one wants to miss the sexy parts, right?**

**Right!**

**Lots of inner monologue here at the end...but it's all fluff, so I hope you don't mind. And lots of Wolverine too. No excuse for that. He just sort of happened. But I promise Logan will get his Marie back! In the meantime though, how far do you think Marie and Wolverine should go? And how are you feeling about the "sir" thing? ;D**

**Coming up next: Marie explores the wonders of touching, Wolverine suffers immensely, and Logan keeps his head firmly stuck up his ass...**


	32. He Always Collects

"_So how do we get Logan in on this?"_

* * *

**STILL AUGUST**

* * *

"I could punch myself in the face a few times." Wolverine replied.

He looked so dead serious, like he really would do it if he could and love every second of it. I couldn't help but imagining Wolverine punching himself, but ducking back into their subconscious at the last second. And poor Logan being thrown out just in time to punch himself in the face, and he would be so confused, and Wolverine would be all like, "Why are you hitting yourself?"

After I finished laughing hysterically for literally at least two minutes, I gasped for breath and tried to think of a serious solution to our little problem.

"Think that's funny, huh?" He asked.

I giggled, opened my mouth to answer, and ended up laughing all over again. All I could think of was that they would literally be beating themselves up over it. Like getting their ass kicked by an invisible mime.

"Kit?" Wolverine tried to catch my eye, but I was laughing too hard. "Hey, calm down. You're going to hurt something."

I nodded and forced myself to stop, or at least slow down to the occasional giggle. Once I got halfway calm, I leaned against Wolverine's chest and just focused on breathing.

"But really." I finally continued. "He still thinks Ah'm jus' a kid, an' it needs to stop...maybe Ah could jus' touch his dick a little."

Wolverine pushed me back enough to make eye contact. "If ya touch either've our dicks—"

I snorted and had to clap a hand over my mouth to keep from giggling again at the mental image THAT provided. Either. Like they had two. When it was safe, I slowly lowered my hand.

"Ah'm a responsible a-dult." I said solemnly.

Wolverine shook his head. "You're a vicious, cock-teasing little angel."

I tried not to preen too much. He had to think I was sexy to be a cock-tease, right? Wolverine thought I was sexy, and that hooker could uh..._not_ suck it.

"But the human thinks you're still too young."

I glared at him, but Wolverine just talked right over any argument I would have made. I hated it when he did that.

"You are, for some things."

"Some things?" I interjected before he could continue.

He raised an eyebrow. "You really think you're ready to have sex?"

I blushed at just the word, and even I hate to admit that was a no, so I shook my head. He waited a moment, but I stayed quiet this time and let him continue.

"But that doesn't mean we can't ever touch each other. The human just won't touch you until he stops seeing you as a child." He said.

"Yeah, an' is that going to happen anytime this century?" I asked with a snort.

Wolverine shrugged. "Your sixteenth birthday. You'll be legal by human laws then."

"That's two months away!" I protested.

"He's not going to do shit before then." He said.

I paused and considered. "But what about yah?"

"I'm not human, and I really don't give a fuck about what anyone else thinks but you." Wolverine replied.

"So no Logan until then." I sighed.

Well that sucked. I really did want to avoid keeping this a secret from him, but at least it wouldn't be forever. And anyway, he did kind of deserve it.

"But if he fucks another hooker..." I trailed off and growled just thinking about it. "Ah will beat him with her."

Wolverine gave me a tight smile. "He won't. He knows he fucked up real bad, and if I have to, I really will just punch us in the dick."

I grinned at that and put my hand over my chest. "Mah hero."

He snorted. I kept smiling. And the silence stretched on.

"So..."

Do you come here often?

"What did you have in mind?" I asked.

I had a lot of things in mind. There were all sorts of things I wanted to do with, for, and _to_ Wolverine while I had the chance. But those were all things in my mind. I could picture them perfectly, but when it came to thinking about actually doing them at right this moment, my brain stalled out.

"I want you to be comfortable." He replied.

I frowned. Comfortable didn't sound like something that would get me screaming orgasms...

"Shirt off."

I fidgeted with the hem. "What does that have to do with being comfortable?"

"You're not comfortable with your body. You should be." He said.

Well when he said it like that, it sounded all sweet and empowering. And I felt kind of bad for just wanting to make out with his face.

_Ya can ask fer anything ya want, kit._

_**Kissing leads to sex.**_

_No, no, no! Hush, both of yah! Ah don't wanna get yah mixed up or listen to yeh commentary. Scram!_

Logan and Wolverine reluctantly retreated, and I heaved a sigh of relief. But when I looked up, I saw Wolverine staring at me, still waiting for me to follow his command.

"Sorry. Interruption. Won't happen again." I promised.

Wolverine cocked his head to the side. "What do we say?"

"Safety lectures from Logan and dirty jokes from yah." I answered. "Ah um...Ah jus' thought we'd be doing more touching stuff...?"

Wolverine whipped his shirt off, pulling it off by the back instead of the hem in that mystical way men can do. I sat very still on his lap as he tossed it aside and tried not to gape too openly at all the bare, hairy skin in front of me.

"You can touch anything you want."

My mouth fell open. "Really?"

He grinned and nodded. I looked over what he offered, trying to decide where to begin. His chest seemed like a great starting point, but there were dangers there too. What if my fingers got tangled in all that chest hair, and I pulled too hard? And should I touch his nipples, or did men not like that the way girls do? Maybe I should start someplace safer.

His shoulders? They were broad and muscled, and I really wanted to run my hands over them. But then what? Did I just place my palms on them and hope he'll kiss me? I glanced up a little higher, at his face. His lips looked smooth, but the skin around them was rough with stubble. I wanted to kiss him, but my brain stalled out again. The most I could think of was when Cody kissed me, and I refused to remember that, so I shoved it away.

I reached out and touched his cheek instead, just below his mutton chop. I trailed my fingers up into the hair just because I'd always wanted to. It felt thick like the hair on his head, but a little rougher since it was shorter. I raised my hand up and traced over his hairline next, skimming the border between skin and hair before smoothing the tips of my fingers down over his forehead.

My other hand had joined in at some point without me realizing, and I rubbed along his forehead to his temples on either side of his head, then back into his muttonchops. I brushed my fingers a bit harder into them, feeling the hair again. It felt almost furry, and the thought made me smile. Wolverine purred, and I smiled wider. I wondered if the hair on his chest would feel different. I'd seen him shirtless lots of times, in the cage, taking a shower, training with me. I'd probably touched his chest a lot too, but in a sort of accidental way. Now I could touch his chest and take my time, committing every part of the sensation to memory.

But first, I wanted to finish my inspection of his face. I moved over his cheekbones next, raising up to the bridge of his nose. I smoothed over his eyebrows, and he closed his eyes so I could trace lightly over his eyelids next. When I was done, I returned to his cheekbones and dragged down, taking the skin of his cheeks with my fingers and causing him to make a funny face.

He looked kind of like a pug dog, and I giggled at him. He raised an eyebrow, but stayed still and didn't object. I pulled my fingers back to let his cheeks go free and skimmed lower, down to his chin, feeling the stubble there too. I pressed a finger into the indent between his chin and lower lip. I could feel his teeth behind the thin muscle, the very tips of his canines on either side of my finger.

His lips really did look nice. I spread my hands over both of his cheeks, cupping as much of his face as I could. He said I could touch anything I wanted. Well, I wanted to touch his lips. With my lips. I leaned closer, inching my face nearer to his, and he parted his lips to whisper...

"Get me a beer."

I drew back. I knew Wolverine was a little bit, really fucking sexist, but seriously?! My thoughts must have shown on my face, because he ducked his head a little and cleared his throat before trying again.

"Please. I don't really want to try to walk right now."

I followed his gaze, down to his lap. There was that giant freaking bulge again. Yeah, trying to walk with that would be uncomfortable. I didn't see how he ever managed to walk with all that between his legs though. I nodded and hopped off, ran out to the truck really quickly since it was parked right outside our room, and grabbed a bottle of Molson's out of the cooler and his bottle opener. I hurried back inside, wanting to get back to the good stuff.

Wolverine pulled me back into his lap, although not so close to him that I could feel the bulge. I handed him the bottle, and he tossed it on the bed beside us.

"Okay, what the hell?" I demanded.

I'd been a good little girl and gotten his damn beer, but then he didn't even drink it?! And why the hell did he need a beer anyway? It wasn't like one beer would get him drunk.

"Can't have Logan come back with our mouth still tasting like you." He said, voice low and husky.

I shivered and forgave him. I'd forgive him of damn near anything with that voice. He settled his hand on my waist and pulled me a little bit closer, angling his head in invitation. I eagerly accepted, leaning forward and pressing my lips against his.

His lips were a lot softer than I though they would be, for a man. They were warm too, and firm against mine, despite not being as rough as I expected. Maybe his healing factor kept him from getting chapped lips. Should my eyes be closed? Were his eyes closed? I lifted my eyes from where I'd been staring at his cheek and peeked at his eyes. They were bright golden and definitely open as he watched me. I pulled back and we stared at each other.

"Was that good?" He asked.

I broke into relieved laughter. "Ah was gonna ask yah the same thing."

He shrugged. "I've never kissed a woman before."

The word _woman_ made me feel warm, and my lips still tingled with the knowledge that I had kissed someone and he was still breathing. Not just any someone either, a _man—_my man-wolf.

"Neither have Ah."

I mentally patted myself on the back for how clever and charming that was. Wolverine rewarded me with a grin. But a sudden thought occurred to me, and I studied him closely.

"Was that yeh first kiss?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Mah-ne!" I blurted out. He blinked at me, and I blushed. "Ah mean, not that Ah own yah or anything, Ah jus'..."

Wolverine cut me off with a low chuckle. "Yes, kitling. I'm yours. Forever."

I grinned stupidly back at him. "Ah have yeh first kiss."

"I'm sorry I couldn't have yours." He replied.

Oh, crap. I didn't mean to rub that in his face or make him feel bad. I made a quick decision and shook my head.

"Ah'm not counting that." I announced. "Women who are raped don't have to count that as their virginity, so yah can be mah first too."

But instead of looking reassured, Wolverine growled. "Ya want me t'kill him fer ya?"

"Ah don't really see the point of driving all the way down to Mississippi jus' to unplug his life support. He's probably dead inside anyway. An' if not..." I shrugged. "Let him suffer."

There were a few times I wished I could take it all back. But looking back on it, those times were almost all back when I was still on the street. I wasn't really sorry for what I did to Cody, I just wanted to go home. Now I was mostly glad about it—or at least, I'd stopped losing sleep over it. What he'd tried to do to me was wrong and probably would have went a lot further than a kiss, whether I'd wanted it or not.

"But Ah don't wanna talk about that now." I continued.

Wolverine nodded and leaned forward, nuzzling my face. I pushed back gently, and he started to move his head lower to my neck. He paused halfway though and lifted his head back up to press his lips against mine. I tried to make more of an effort to kiss him back this time, but I started smiling too hard from the sweet gesture.

"Ah'm sorry." I said when we moved apart.

"No." He shook his head and grinned at me proudly. "I made you happy."

My smile practically split my face. "You make me very happy."

Wolverine licked his lips, and the knowledge that he only did it to taste me made me feel dizzy. He leaned back to pop open his bottle of Molson's and took a couple of long swigs, but I stopped him halfway through the bottle.

"Don't drink all of it." I said. "Ah'm not done kissing yah yet, Ah jus' wanna touch other stuff too."

He stared hard at me and slowly lowered the bottle from his lips. The look he gave me reminded me of the cheesy lines in my romance novels, filled with words like "smoldering" and "searing." But all my befuddled brain could come up with was that those were them sex eyes, and they made me want to reconsider taking my shirt off. And by reconsider, I mean rip it off and beg for him to lick my nipples the way my Wolvie had.

"Alright."

Oh God, it was the deep, sexy voice again. He had the sex eyes and the sex voice and the sex boner going on real hard between us, pun intended. I took a deep breath and tried to control myself. Why couldn't he just be fat?

I flexed my hands on his shoulders, where they had automatically settled during the kiss. Once again, his skin was smoother than I expected. It wasn't soft by any means though, and I could feel the hard muscle just below. I spread my fingers out and rubbed my palms against them, feeling the very top of his collar bones. I dragged them further apart, over to the sides of his shoulders, just above his biceps. They were so wide.

He flexed, and I eagerly wrapped my hands around the muscle. Well, not all the way around. I could barely grip all of his biceps, much less his entire arms. The muscle felt hard, and his hair scratched against the inside of my palms. I slid my hands down his forearms to his wrists. He could easily wrap his hand around one of my wrists with room to spare, but I couldn't even make my middle finger and thumb touch. They were so thick.

I flipped his wrists over so his hands were palm up and took his right hand in both of mine. His left hand settled on my waist, the heat of it warming my whole body. I traced over the lines on his palm and wished I knew how to read palms. I wondered what his would say. He twitched his fingers, and I studied them next. They were a lot bigger than mine, but otherwise they were just regular fingers. I held up his hand and pressed my against it so that our wrists were even. My fingers barely passed the first joints on his fingers. They were so long.

I glanced up at his face. His eyes were bright, and he was breathing steadily through his mouth. The look he gave me made me shiver. My big, bad man-wolf.

I grinned suddenly. "Mah, what big hands yah have."

"So I can hold you." He muttered.

I looked him over carefully, but he didn't show any sign of recognizing the dialogue. His reply sort of fit though, if the big bad wolf was in love with the little girl and wanted to eat her in an entirely different context.

I reached up and touched the side of his face. "Mah, what bright eyes yah have."

They narrowed slightly. "So I can watch you."

"Mah, what sharp teeth yah have." I whispered, brushing my fingers over his lips.

"So I can mark you." He growled.

"Are yah a good wolf?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No."

"Oh?"

"I'm a very bad wolf." He tugged me closer. "And if you aren't careful, little girl...I'll eat you up."

"Promise?" I breathed.

"What are you doing?"

I pulled back and opened my eyes, blinking in horny confusion. Hazel eyes stared back at me suspiciously. I sat back in his lap. Logan's lap. Wolvie was right. Logan was a cockblocking son of a bitch. He was so lucky I loved him.

I shrugged. "Practicing."

"Practicing what?" He demanded.

"Touching."

"Touching what?"

"Stuff."

"What stuff?"

"Stuff..." I gave him my best angsty brooding look. "...and things."

He glared harder at me and opened his mouth to give me a lecture about blah blah blah bullshit.

I rolled my eyes. "Calm yeh tits, sugah. We weren't doing anything bad."

"Calm my _what_?!"

I gave him a droll look. "Have yah forgotten how to speak English? Or am Ah jus' being mean to yah?"

"Yes!" He immediately agreed. "You're being mean!"

He pouted at me and gave me the man-puppy eyes, but I thought of the hooker and stayed strong.

"Deal with it."

"The fuck, Marie?!"

"Do yah not like me being mean to yah?" I asked in mock sympathy.

A growl built up in his throat. "Ya gotta 'bout five seconds t—"

"Cut the shit." I finished for him. "If yah don't like me being pissed, then yah shoulda thought of that before yah fucked a hooker an' took meh on a pity date the night after!"

I crossed my arms and glared up at him, waiting for him to figure out an answer to _that_.

"...what?"

"Yah know what yah did, an' Ah'm not repeating mahself." I snapped.

"How do you know what I did?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes again, so hard I might have torn something. "Ah'm not stupid, and yeh not good at lying."

He looked away and cleared his throat, but I wasn't letting him off the hook that easily. I thought I could just pretend it didn't happen and work everything out in two months, but clearly I was a bit angrier at him than even I thought. And in a weird way, it actually felt better this way. I didn't like that we had things we didn't tell each other, and I wanted it to stop.

So I sat there and waited in silence for his explanation.

"It wasn't a pity date." He finally muttered.

"It was a guilt date." I shot back.

"Not all of it." He tried to defend. "I really did want to do something special for you, and we had fun at the end."

I still wasn't satisfied. "And the hooker?"

"I'm sorry."

At least he looked me in the eye when he said it, and he really did look thoroughly miserable. But I still felt hurt and angry. I knew I'd forgive him eventually, I just didn't think it could be right this second. And it gave me some hope that he didn't try to make excuses or ask what right I had to demand he not fuck other woman. He acted exactly like a man caught cheating on his girlfriend, which strangely both reassured and pissed me off.

"Ah know." I sighed. "Ah'd jus' be a lot less angry if yah'd jus' said that at first, instead of lying to meh about it."

He opened his mouth, then closed it and just nodded instead.

"No more hookers." I ordered.

He nodded quickly. "Never again."

"And yah'll take meh trick or treating for mah birthday."

Well, I already knew I'd forgive him eventually. I might as well get something out of it in the meantime, and I already had the perfect costume idea.

"Sure, kid."

I narrowed my eyes again. "Marie."

"...Marie." He mumbled, looking like I'd just slapped him with a rolled up newspaper.

"I don't like being called a kid. I'm not." I told him.

He just blinked at me. "Yes you are."

"No, Ah'm not. Ah'll be legal in two months."

His eyes narrowed at me. "Has he been talking shit to you?"

"About how yah both love meh an' Ah love both of yah an' we'll be together forever? Yes." I answered.

He shifted uncomfortably beneath me. "I don't see what that has to do wi—"

"We love each other. We live together. We both wanna have sex with each other. Do yah see where this is going, sugah?" I asked.

But Logan just cleared his throat and looked away. "I don't wanna have sex with ya, ki—Marie."

"Really? Because that—" I pointed to the bulge in his jeans. "—says otherwise."

"You never noticed that before." He accused, grabbing our pillow and holding it protectively over his crotch.

"Well, Ah'm growing up."

"You're fifteen."

"Yeah, but...look—just..."

_Do it. On three, yah can do it._

_One._

_Two._

_Th—_

_Shit, Ah can't do this! Why did Ah think Ah could do this?! Abort missi—_

_THREE!_

"Do yah want to be mah boyfriend?" I blurted out.

"You're fifteen." Logan repeated.

"It doesn't to be...right..._now_."

_Why the hell did yah do that?!_

_Ya needed a push. Keep going._

_But—_

_THREE!_

I winced and kept going. "Ah jus' need to know if that's where this is headed."

"This?"

_Are yah sure he speaks English?_

_...maybe._

_**I can hear you.**_

I tried to use really small words. "Us. You and me. Love each other. Be together. Do the do. Yes or no."

It seemed like forever before he answered, while I just sat there in his lap with my heart held out in front of him.

"We'll talk about it when you're sixteen." He said.

I said yes or no, not maybe. Not, we'll talk. Not, blah blah blah bullshit. But at least it wasn't a no, so I pushed down my irritation. On the bright side, this just meant I had two months to seduce him.

"Alrah-ght, but no leaving or hookers in the meantime." I replied.

He relaxed a bit and nodded. "No leaving or hookers."

"And yeh still taking meh trick or treating." I reminded him.

"Fine." He said. "What were you and him touching?"

"Ah touched yeh face an' arms an' hands." I pointed to the nightstand. "...Ah got yah a beer."

Logan looked at the half-drunk bottle.

"Him-yah." I corrected.

He picked the bottle up and drank the rest of it. "He didn't touch...?"

"Nothing. He jus' let meh touch him." I said.

He nodded slowly and tossed the bottle in the trash. "I'mma take a shower."

I sighed loudly and flopped out his lap, onto the bed. "Bah."

"What?"

"Bah."

Logan's lips moved slowly, silently repeating bye to himself as he tried to remember how to speak English. His face suddenly lit up.

"Bye!"

I glared up at him. "That's what Ah said."

He made noncommittal grunt and got up. I realized why he had such a hard time understanding what I was clearly saying and sat up.

"Is that what yah think of mah accent?" I demanded.

He turned around with a guilty look. "Uh...it's sexy...?"

I grinned, and he immediately tried to backpedal.

"Cute! It's cute."

"Too late!" I sang. "Ya think Ah'm sexy."

He started edging toward the bathroom door. "When you're sixteen."

I let him go, all the way up to the door, then called him back.

"Logan?"

His back stiffened, and he slowly turned, looking like a man about to face a firing squad.

"Will yah sleep with meh tonight?" I asked.

"We're not having sex until you turn sixteen." He said sternly.

I stole his trick and raised an eyebrow at him. "There's only one bed, sugah. But that can totally be mah birthday present."

Logan actually blushed all the way up to his muttonchops and retreated into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. I grinned and flopped back down on the bed. If Wolverine thought I had been cock-tease when I was unaware of it, then these next two months were going to be hell...

I giggled.

* * *

**A/N: Let me start off by apologizing for how late this is! I really don't have any excuse; I just slept in and procrastinated and it was glorious.**

**But moving on...I hope the Logan fans feel a little bit better now that things are (mostly) on the level for him. He knows Marie was feeling Wolverine up, he's dealing with the consequences of fucking the hooker, and things are (sort of) on track for them to get together when Marie is legal according to the age of consent in Canada.**

**And I know, all Marie and Wolverine actually really did was share a surprisingly chaste kiss. Boo! But, I never really wanted her to do much behind Logan's back (and with his body) anyway. And it really is hard being a teenager. One part says go go go, and the other part says wait wait wait, how does my hair look, gotta suck in my stomach, should I touch this, what if he thinks I'm weird, why am I so stupid? So I don't think Marie should be doing much more before they all agree they're in an established, monogamous relationship.**

**One last thing before I go...BLOOPERS! This is really too short to warrant its own chapter, and the chapter count of this fic is high enough already, so I'm just going to tack it onto the end of this chapter.**

"Please. I don't really want to try to walk right now."

I followed his gaze, down to his lap. There was that giant freaking bugle again. I had noticed it following us around all day, but I didn't know how it had managed to sneak in between us.

"Get out of here! Scram!" I shouted at it.

"I just wanna be loved!" The bugle screamed back before hopping out of Wolverine's lap and running out the door.

"What the fuck was that?!" Wolverine demanded.

I shrugged. "A bugle."

"Why was it here?"

"I don't know, I think the author's on crack."

Wolverine rolled his eyes. "Probably."

"Yeah." I agreed. "Let's eat face."

And then Marie and Wolverine fricked the frack while Logan cried and masturbated in the corner of Wolverine's mind.

**...perhaps I should explain. The first time I wrote this, I accidentally typed "bugle" instead of "bulge" and almost missed the typo. And when I did catch it, I spent ten minutes laughing about it, and I still can't read that paragraph without cracking up, thinking about that "giant freaking bugle!"**

**PRO TIP: The Big Bad Wolf has a _different_ blooper at the end of its author's note! So if there are any of you out there that only read one story and not the other...cut that shit out and read both.**

**Coming up next: What costumes could Marie and Logan possibly wear for Halloween? Will Logan ever be able to man up and commit to his relationship with Marie? Will Marie accidentally break him before he can? Will Wolverine and Logan EVER learn to share?**

**Fuck it, I don't know. I make this shit up each week as I go along.**


End file.
